Children of the past
by Angel Cauldwell
Summary: Sixty seven years later that Steve had woke up from his sleep only to learn that the world had moved on. During his discovery that a woman from the shadows was watching him. Together they are the children of the past.
1. Chapter 1

Unseen to all in the shadows nearby among the buildings were two figures, one was a girl about fourteen or fifteen years of age. She has dark red hair that was pined up with chopsticks, pale skin, and purple eyes with flecks of green that was a gleam of madness in them. She has a black choker around her neck with a skull on it, there were a lot of bracelets on her arms. She was wearing a purple shirt, dark almost black jeans, around her waist was chains that acted like a belt and knee high black boots. A woman was standing next to the girl and they were similar but yet different at the same time. Oppose to the girl, she has black wavy long hair, pale skin, and dark eyes that gleam with madness in them. Besides the gleam of madness that there were hints of sadness and loneliness in her eyes as well as slightly joy. However the woman was about twenty two instead about fourteen or fifteen and she has a slightly different build from the girl. The woman has a necklace with a skull around her neck, there were two bracelets on one wrist, one was blue and the other one was green with two leaves on it. There was a red poppy with it's stem wrapped around her wrist on the hand of the red poppy was wedding ring, one an engagement ring while the other was a wedding band. The woman was wearing a black shirt, brown leather jacket, black jeans and black boots.

Emily smiled lightly when she saw her brother before she looked over at Arabella of who looked over at her with a smile on her face. Arabella heard of Emily's twin brother before, Arabella knows what Emily's twin brother looks like form the stories Emily told Arabella even since she was four years old. Arabella knows that none of them were dead so Emily changed the endings a little or at least the ending of Emily Barnes till Arabella learned of who Emily really was. Without saying anything that she put her fingers to her lips before nodded to one of the cars that just surrounded Steve as he was looking around Times Square as it now as oppose to back before Steve was in the ice. Shadows engulf them both and hey reappeared on top of the car as Nick said to at ease to Steve. Emily leaned back and used her arms to prop herself up and watched as Nick and Steve interacted. Finally Nick told Steve that as far as S.H.I.E.L.D. knows that Emily was dead, Emily snorted before she spoke up

"Really? What kind of information may I ask that you have?" When Emily said that, that Nick and Steve looked over at them, Emily sat up more properly and put her hands just below her knee and looked at the two of them. Emily looked over at Steve,e it was clear that Steve thought he might know or was at least aware of the fact that her wedding rings and red poppy was there and knew that they belong to Emily. Emily looked away from Steve as Nick spoke.

"Arabella, Agent Blackthrone, I didn't expect to see you two here." Emily and Arabella jumped off the car before walking over to Nick.

"Of course you didn't expect us, Nick."

"I told you it's Director." Nick was giving her a stern look, Emily glared back at him and he shrank back under her gaze. She was glad that she was able to do a better death glare after Hades adopted her than before. She managed to pull that glare off a with some people before that but it was not very many people though.

"I told you that it is Rachel. Even though I am a consultant and sometimes goes on a mission that I am not exactly an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. per say."

"True. I am curious of what made you ask that question?"

"The one of 'What kind of information may I ask that you have?' question?"

"Yes." Emily looked over at Arabella, Arabella smiled before she spoke.

"Simple, Emily Barnes is not in the underworld." Nick was looking between Emily and Arabella when Arabella said that, he knows that they were both daughters of Hades.

"Was she reborn?" Emily laughed when Nick said that.

"No, she never reached the underworld for she was never claimed." At those words that she could see Steve looked hopeful unlike when Nick told him that Emily was dead.

"But what about the death and tombstone?"

"Faked. My father and Hecate helped with that. She used the mist to make a mist form of Emily to make people think it was really her."

"What happened to her than?"

"Adopted and made immortal, since than she has been helping the demigods to protect them when they first learn that they are demigods before taking them to camp to be trained to defend themselves." Before Nick could say anything that Steve spoke.

"She kept her promise than? The one she made to me when I crashed?" Emily looked over at Steve.

"That she has, Steve." Steve looked up and down her.

"Who are you two?" Emily gestured to Arabella.

"This is my half sister, Arabella Evans. I am Rachel Blackthrone, we are daughters of Hades." Steve was looking at the red poppy, the two wedding rings, the two bracelets, and brown leather jacket. She knows that he knows where those items came form or at least has a guess of what the blue bracelet was.

"Who are you really?" Emily smiled lightly, she expected that from Steve.

"I will answer that, but first I want to go into S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters before I tell you that." Steve stared at her when she said that. "I promise that I will tell you when we go into Director Fury's office. Besides there is someone else that should join us in what we would be talking about, but it is more of a question of how much of fan boying he will be doing though." Steve was about ready to say something but Nick best him to it.

"Phil? Why would Phil come?" Emily looked over at Nick.

"You will found out soon enough, Nick. Out of of all mortals and demigods, not counting the gods, there are only two others besides myself, that know of what I am going to tell you two. One of them being Phil."

"Why didn't Phil saying anything?"

"I meet him before he joined S.H.I.E.L.D. He has his own secret that he didn't want to share or not when he first joined at any rate."

"How come he never brought his up."

"Because, he didn't want that secret to be known yet. He wasn't sure when to bring it up and I suggested that he can being it up when Steve was found." Nick looked between the three of them before nodded, the four of them went to the headquarters. When they entered that Nick told one of the agents to find Phil and being him to his office, Emily knew he was somewhere in the building since they they just got off of a mission along with Arabella in the last couple of hours. Before the agent could get Phil that Emily told him to tell Phil that it was LA time, the agent looked at her confused before he left to find Phil as well as Steve and Nick. But Arabella was close of laughing when Emily said that, for that was code for Phil, Emily and Arabella saying that it was time to reveal that Phil was a demigod to Nick. It took a few minutes to reach the office, a minute later that Phil entered the office, when Phil entered the office that he looked at them before sitting down next to Emily. Nick was behind his desk and he was looking at Emily with his one good eye.

"All right, explain of where Emily is, what Phil hasn't told me as well as answering Steve's question of you are really? What ever that suppose to mean." Emily looked over at Phil before she spoke.

"Before I answer those two questions that I think Phil should start it off." Nick looked over at Phil.

"Remember you looked at the papers you found of me?"

"Yeah."

"Those were information that Rachel and I sent out while I was in camp for eight years, year around." Nick raised an eyebrow when Phil said that.

"Camp?" Phil nodded.

"I am a demigod, a son of Demeter, the third child of Demeter born since Emily and Steve were born." Nick looked like if he was close of laughing when Phil said that.

"Really?" Phil looked over at her poppy and it started growing, Emily didn't say or do anything. After a minute that a second poppy was grow and Phil used hai powers to cut the poppy from the stem before he allowed Emily's poppy to grow back whirl the second poppy fell into his hand. "How come you never said anything?"

"Being an agent gave me a break from the strange world of the demigods and into the semi strange of the normal world. Of which is rather normal compared to the demigod world." Emily and Arabella snorted when Phil said that.

"CAJ, I would considering your life as an agent is just as strange as your demigod life."

"CAJ." Emily looked over at Nick when he said that.

"Short for a nickname that I gave him a few years back, however both Arabella and I call him that." Nick raised an eyebrow. "I am not going to tell you what that nickname is."

"All right what about the other two questions? And how does Phil know about what you are going to tell us?" Emily smiled before looking over at Arabella of who looked over at Nick.

"Emily is close by, as a matter of fact she is listening to us as we speak." Nick and Steve looked around, expecting to see Emily in the room, Emily, Phil and Arabella were close of laughing just watching Nick and Steve. Nick and Steve looked back at Emily, Arabella and Phil.

"I can't see her." Emily spoke, instead of the modern Brooklyn accent that she was using that she used her normal old Brooklyn accent.

"Well, she has been under your nose for over twenty years and she can see you." Nick tilted his head when Emily's accent changed, Steve was looking at Emily in surprise.

"Emily?" Emily smiled before she stood up and snapped her fingers, her long wavy black hair gave way to long straight blond hair. Her pale skin gave way to lightly tanned skin and her fake eyes gave way to light blue eyes. Steve stood up and hugged her, Emily hugged Steve back, Emily was rather glad that Steve was finally found, even she was not the one that found him. Steve pulled away and looked at her. "I thought you would have aged me."

"No, hades adopted me about three to four days after you went into the ice and the days after the war in Europe end of which was like two to three days after you went into the ice."

"Wait a second." Nick got up and went over to Emily. "You mean to tell me for over twenty years that I had Lieutenant USA working for S.H.I.E.L.D."

"That is like saying Daedalus isn't dead." Nick raised an eyebrow as well as Steve, but it was Arabella that spoke.

"We really need to find him you know." Emily turned and looked at Arabella.

"True. But I prefer to find Minos first, you know that he has been acting up in the last few months. Plus he has been messing up the judgements since he has been a judge, we need to find him first before we could take him off the judgment tables and deal with his punishment. For Minos is more of the concern than Daedalus."

"But you know where Daedalus."

"We been through this before, it's yes and no. Yes I know where he is but I am not totally sure of how to get there." It was Nick that spoke up and Emily looked at him,

"Are you saying that one of the old Greek heroes or whatever you cal Daedalus is still alive, he has to be over two thousand year old."

"I am ninety this July."

"Is he immortal like you are."

"No." Nick, Phil and Steve stared at her. "This is why it is a concern in the underworld for he has been avoiding death for so long. For much during that he has been in the labyrinth, the one he built for Minos and to hold the Minotaur." Nick looked like he was going to say something but Phil best him to it.

"So the labyrinth is still around, I assume it is in America somewhere. Is it in a forest?" Emily smiled lightly when Phil said that.

"Come with me." Emily snapped her fingers before they left the office, they went down to the first floor before going down to the under levels. After a few minutes that they entered an old room that hasn't been used for about twenty years. As Emily went over to one of the walls that Nick spoke.

"Is there you brought us down here. There is nothing special, I would know for I helped design the building." Emily smiled as she took off a picture that showed Howard Stark, Colonel Phillips and Lauren Huntington. Colonel Phillips came out for a time to help with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Lauren disappeared after Colonel Phillips went into the labyrinth but no one but Emily knew that fact. Many thought Colonel Phillips disappeared or died, under the picture was a Delta symbol. As soon as she removed the pictures and the others saw it that Nick spoke up. "That is not supposed to be there." Emily turned and looked at him.

"S.H.I.E.L.D might be an agency that had a lot of secrets. But there are some secrets that you don't know about or can't use. Not unless if you have three demigods as part of the agency. You only have two."

"What about Arabella or Steve."

"Neither one counts, for Steve just woke up and he was part of the SSR. As for as Arabella, those missions were more training so she could use her powers better. But that is not the point I was making, the point is that there are places that you do not want to send your agents to." Emily pointed to the symbol. "That is one of them as well as one of the secret that you don't know about and can't use."

"It's an old Greek letter."

"Is it?" Emily touched the symbol and pushed, Nick was about ready to say something when the wall next to Emily slid open to reveal a dark passageway. Phil, Steve and Nick looked at the passageway in surprise. "Now you know an entrance to ... the labyrinth." Phil looked surprised.

"So the labyrinth is under us?" Emily removed her hand from the panel, after a minute that the door closed.

"Yes, but it goes all over the world, since Daedalus made it that it gained a life of it's own and started to grow and grow. In other words, as long as you are on land that you would most likely be over the labyrinth." Emily looked over at Phil as he spoke up.

"Can it stop growing?"

"The only way it stop growing that is if the labyrinth was destroyed and there was only one one to do it."

"What is that one way?"

"Daedalus would have to die. Otherwise the labyrinth would remain." Nick, Phil and Steve looked at Emily and Arabella. "Look, I don't want to you two to enter the labyrinth form this building or anywhere." Emily nodded to Steve and Phil, Nick noticed this.

"What about me? You didn't warn me about that." Emily looked over at Nick.

"Because it would be pointless to do so."

"Why?"

"To open the labyrinth you need to touch the panel. Only a demigod can activate it. But I want you of this, don't ask Phil to open it and let some of your agents in. For the labyrinth is dangerous, it is full of traps and other things. There are only three ways to navigate the labyrinth. One being the string, one a clear sighted mortal and the last way would be basically impossible of which is to have Daedalus lead you through the labyrinth." Emily looked at them before she walked over to Arabella and put her hands on Arabella's shoulder. "I only came here because I heard about Steve and Arabella wanted to tag along. Though we did get odd that mission recently, but we need to go to the underworld." Arabella looked up at Emily.

"Why?"

"Our father wants to talk to us." Steve raised an eyebrow when she refer to Hades as her father. "I know it sounds weird but after being seventy years of living half time in the underworld and having hades for an adopted father that you would start calling him such."

"About what?"

"SPQR." Neither Steve, Phil or Nick understood what she meant when she said that, she was sure that Phil and Nick would know what it stood for but wonder why she said that. Before Steve, Phil or Nick could say anything that shadows engulf them and they reappeared in front of the palace. Emily let go of Arabella's shoulder before they headed inside, once inside that they went to the throne room and as expected that Hades was there. Hades looked up at Emily and Arabella when they entered.

"So you have at least learned where Steve is currently."

"I have, father. It has been a long time in the coming to figure where he was and what happened to him. But I know that you had a demigod child in your roman form and you wanted me to go and get her but before I get her that there was something you wanted to talk to me about as well as Arabella."

"Yes, that is true, her name is Jennifer Richards and she is currently in San Jose at the moment. But there was something else, at the moment one of the doors is opened. I want you, Arabella and Hazel to go through the doors to close it." Emily was about ready to open her mouth but than closed it when she realized what Hades was was saying. She remembered hades telling Emily about Hazel and that she was born too early, so Emily figured that there was a reason of why Hades wanted Hazel to back to the world of the living. Emily figured that Hazel has a part to play in a prophecy or something, so that means it was drawing closer.

"Where is Hazel, fewer?"

"Well, she is in between." Emily nodded, Arabella looked slightly confused, when Emily nudged her that they left the throne room. Just after they left the palace that Arabella spoke.

"I know that our father trends to talk like that from time to time but I didn't get that fully."

"He wants us to bring Hazel back to life." Arabella stopped when Emily said the,t Emily stopped and looked back at her.

"You mean our father wants to break those laws." Emily sighed and walked over to Arabella and out a hand on her shoulder.

"Arabella, there is a reason for why he wants us to do it. I am not fully sure of why myself. But with what I have be doing and what I learned that I believe that she had a part in a prophecy that still has to take place yet. I am not sure what it is per say, but I just know without her that I think the prophecy and quest might fail. The world we know might be destroyed. I know that it is she has nothing to do with the great prophecy nowths it's going on, that much I do know for sure." Without saying anything that Emily and Arabella walked towards the Fields of Asphodel. It didn't take Emily or Arabella long to locate the Hazel, when Emily and Arabella found her that they took her up to the world of the living before the door closed behind them. Than Emily and Arabella managed to find Jennifer and lead them to the wolf house. When the four of them reached the wolf house that Emily and Arabella disappeared into the shadows.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Emily went back into New York and went to the apartment building that S.H.I.E.L.D. put Steve in. Emily went to the headquarters last night and spoke with Nick and Phil of where Steve would be living for the time being. They agreed for a while that Emily would stay with Steve and help him adjust to this world and time. She knows Hades doesn't mind that Emily was going to stay up for a while to help Steve with adjusting. When Emily got to Steve's apartment and knocked that he looked relief to see her standing there. Thankfully the apartment had two rooms and two bathrooms, so Emily took the second bedroom and pulled the things she brought with her into the room. When she was done that Emily went back to the living room of where Steve was struggling with the remote trying to figure it out. Emily was about ready to show him of what to is and how it works when there was a knock on the door. Emily and Steve looked at the door before looking at each other.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Emily shook her head and walked to the door.

"I doubt it. They wouldn't come this soon. If this was tomorrow than yes, I think it would be them." When Emily reached the door that she opened it, as soon as Emily saw who it was that she was close of face palming herself. "Arabella, what are you doing."

Arabella stood there wearing her usual clothes and hairstyle or one of them at any rate. Her red hair was pulled up into an bun and was held in place by a chopstick, she was wearing a black v-neck shirt, dark blue skinny jeans, black leather boots laced up to her knees. She had many chains that as a belt, bracelets loaded on her wrist though Emily knows that a couple of them were her weapons or swords or armor, and a choker necklace. Emily would admit that she was never one for a bunch of bracelets or chains, but usually Emily and Arabelle would have similar dark colors. But that day, that was not the case. Emily had her skull necklace on as well as her blue bracelet and green bracelet on her wrist that covers up her SPQR tattoo and her poppy on the other wrist, she also had her usual brown leather jacket on. But Emily was wearing a green shirt that wasn't v-neck, light blue jeans and tennis shoes. If this was yesterday, than she was sure that Nick and Steve would figure that Arabella was her sister. Of she is but only though the adoption that Hades did.

"I heard that S.H.I.E.L.D. found Steve." Emily looked back at Steve, of who since got up from the couch and walked up behind her. He still had the remote in hai hand but he seem to forget about it as he looked at Arabella confused, Emily but her lip from laughing her head off. For she knows that Steve never seen anyone dress up like Arabella, for no one that many bracelets, chains or dark clothing as Arabella. Arabella was looking at Steve as well, Emily was sure that was partly because Arabella never saw a picture him without his Captain America uniform on. Emily did have pictures of Steve without the Captain America uniform but they were in the bedroom in her cabin. Emily stepped aside so Arabella could come in.

"Come on in." As Arabella walked in that Emily spoke up once more. "Let me guess, Severus told you didn't he?" A couple of nights ago, Emily was in Hogsmeade talking to Severus, for she wanted to catch up with what he has been doing since they saw so little of each other since he started teaching at Hogwarts. Arabella turned and looked at her.

"How did you know?"

"Arabella, I was talking to him in Hogsmeade a couple of nights ago. While we were talking that Phil called." Emily knew that Arabella knew who Phil was, one of Emily's half brothers, Emily had a couple of other half brothers on her mother's side besides Phil. She had one half brother on Hades' side and one full brother, but she had a bunch to half sisters though. Steve than spoke.

"What are you wearing and who is Phil?" Emily looked at Steve when he said that.

"That is normal for Arabella to wear, not everyone dresses like Arabella. The style of clothing, if you hadn't already noticed, is different from the 1940s, Steve. As for Phil, he is our half brother." Steve looked taken back.

"I thought we were the only toe children of Demeter."

"In the 1940s, that was very true, but she had some more children since than. Phil is the closest one to our age. Though he was born after World War II ended. Phil was there when you pulled out the ice like I was."

"Where is he now?" Emily shrugged when Steve said that.

"Wherever S.H.I.E.L.D. needs him to be."

"He is an agent."

"Yeah." The rest of the days was pretty much spent teaching. And showing Steve some of the things around the apartment with some help form Arabella. Emily thought of towing Arabella back but decided she may as have one other sibling here to help. Besides there was a good chance that Arabella and Steve would meet again, she wasted them to start on good terms with each other. While they were explaining things to Steve that at times Arabella wasn't too helpful since she sometimes refer to magic of which would throw off Steve. Near the end of the day that Emily took Arabella back to Hogwarts, Emily knew that neither McGonagall or Severus would to happy that Arabella wasn't at school. But they got used to Arabella doing different things there at Hogwarts, that were different from normal students, that they would most likely let it slid.

For the next couple of weeks that Emily stayed with Steve to help him adjust to this world as best as she could. During this time that she used her normal appearance with her blond hair and blue eyes, thankfully no one had notice of who she was or who Steve was, or at least not yet. She had asked for delays in any missions after the last one she did for Hades, one afternoon, Emily had come back from doing some shopping for the apartment to find Steve gone. Emily had a feeling of where he had went to, so she crossed the street and went into the boxing gym. Sure enough that Steve was there, Emily remained in the doorway watching him, Emily would admit that she had been though a lot in the last sixty seven years. But she couldn't begin to think of what this must be like for Steve, to crash in wartime only to be wake after sixty seven years and the world changes. He was not the only going though something like that, Hazel was going though the same thing that Emily was sure of. However, Hazel died oppose to Steve who never died in the first place, since his soul had never reached the underworld. Emily knew that Steve been looking at the files of the howling commandos and Lauren when she left.

She was sure that Steve may wonder of why S.H.I.E.L.D. thinks Bucky was missing in action. Emily didn't have the heart to tell him that Bucky was alive, at times she has a hard time believing that herself and she went to where the spirits just to make sure Bucky wasn't there. She tried to find Bucky but she was never able to find Bucky at all so far. She hoped and prayed that she would one day find him. For she knew a part of her heart was missing since Bucky was lost, the same goes for Lauren, but she had found small parts of her heart when she got to know Phil and Arsbella. That a part of her heart returned when Steve was found, for that meant that she could have the closure she needed as well as having someone to talk to other than Phil and Arabella. Not that she was unable to town to them, it was just at times her brain goes back to the 1940s, neither Arabella or Phil lived in that time. Than Emily heard footsteps, she looked to where she hear the footsteps coming from and it was Nick. When Nick reached the doorway, of where she was at, that he merely nodded at her when he reached the door and looked to where Steve was before he spoke.

"Trouble sleeping?" Steve looked away from the bag that he been hitting to where Nick and Emily stood, though Emily knows Steve knows that she didn't with Nick.

"I slept for seventy years, sir. I think I've had my fill."

"Then you should be out, celebrating, seeing the world." Steve started undoing the tape from around his hand as Nick went further into the gym while Emily walked out from behind Nick and walked over to Steve to help him.m

"I went under, the world was at war, I wake up, they say we won. They didn't say what we lost."

"We've made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently."

"You here with a mission, sir?"

"I doubt that's why he is here. I assume that you are here to talk to me as well about the mission."

"I am."

"Trying to get me back in the world?"

"Trying to save it." Nick handed a file to Steve, Emily looked at it when Steve opened it, it was the Tesseract. Both Emily and Steve know what it was and what it could do or have an idea at any rate.

"Hydra's secret weapon."

"Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought what we think, the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. That's something the world sorely needs."

"Who took it from you?"

"He's called Loki. He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten even stranger than you already know."

"No kidding about that." Nick looked at Emily when she said that, she merely shrugged, Emily made sure to know all the myths about the gods. She knew that the Romans and the Greek exist, but if she wasn't sure if the others exist as well.

"At this point, I doubt anything would surprise me."

"Ten bucks says you're wrong." Steve picked up a punching bag from the floor and put it over his shoulder. "There's a debriefing package waiting for you back at your apartment." Emily and Steve started walking out of the gym with the punching bag over Steve's shoulders."Is there anything you can tell us about the Tesseract that we ought to know now?" Steve turned back slightly before he spoke.

"You should have left it in the ocean." As soon as Steve said that, that they walked out of the boxing gym and into the apartment building. When they were inside their apartment that Steve put his bag in one corner and sat down on the couch and Emily sat down next to him. Steve had than looked at her.

"Did you know that they found that thing after I crashed?"

"No, I didn't. That was mainly because I didn't care about that at that time. There other things that I needed to do." Steve was about ready to say something. When Emily's phone rang, Emily sighed and pulled it out and accepted the call. As soon as she put the phone against her hear that she realized it was Phil.

"Are you in New York?" Emily had a feeling of why he was calling, she decided to have some fun with this since she hadn't seen him in the last two weeks.

"Are you bored because your cellist moved back to Portland?" When emily said that, that Steve looked at her confused, he was about ready to say something when Emily mouthed at him, I will explain later.

"Very funny, Emily. That had nothing to do with why I am calling you."

"Really? So you called me up to say you are move to Portland too?"

"Emily! Do you mind if you tease me later?" Emily laughed when Phil said that, Emily has no idea if anyone was hearing him on his end but if he was on the street that Emily wished she was there to see his face.

"Couldn't resist, I am towing a guess you are calling because of the Tesseract right?"

"Sort of, Director Fury ask me to go and get Stark."

"Really? Why?"

"Emily, you know why if Director Fury spoke with you and Steve or at least Steve."

"He spoke with us already. But why is here a reason you are calling me if I am not the one you suppose to get?"

"Simple, I want you to come along with me?"

"Why?"

"It would be amusing for both of us if we have to taser Tony and let him drool while we watch super nanny. So are you for it if he doesn't want to help?" As Phil said that Emily smiled, she remembered that day so well.

"Well if he has homework, that wouldn't be fair now would it. But I will come along anyway, just for the fun of it."

"All right, I will meet you in front of Stark tower." Phil hanged up and Emily put her phone back into her pocket than she walked over to Steve.

"Look, I have to go out for a while." Steve looked around before he spoke.

"Where are you going?"

"Don't worry about that. I will be fine. I am not going to gone for long." Emily snapped her fingers and her appearance changed to her daughter of Hades appearance. Than she ran into a shadow and appeared in front the stark tower of where Phil was waiting for her. They went inside while Phil tried to get hold of Stark, than Phil overwritten J.A.R.V.I.S. as they rode up on the elevator and managed to call Stark's phone.

"Mr. Stark, we need to talk."

"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony stark. Please leave a message."

"This is urgent."

"Than leave it urgently." Just the doors open to reveal Emily and Phil, Phil hang up his phone as they entered the level. As they entered that Tony spoke. "Security breach. It's on you." Tony said the last part to Pepper as she looked at them.

"Mr. Stark."

"Phil! Come in." Just as Pepper said that she got up from where she was sitting and walked over to them. Tony looked a little surprised by Pepper calling Phil by his first name.

"Phil?"

"I can't stay."

"His first name is agent." Tony said that as he joined Pepper, Phil and Emily.

"Come on in. We're celebrating."

"Which is why he can't stay."

"We need you to look this over as soon as possible." Phil held out the tablet to Tony.

"I don't like being handed things." Piper interrupted Tony.

"That's fine, because in love to be handed things. So, let's trade. Thank you." As she spoke that she took the tablet from Phil and gave him the glass she was holding. Than she switched the glass that Tony has with the tablet. Tony looked over at Phil and Emily.

"Official consulting hours are between eight and five every other Thursday." Emily tilted her head when Tony said that.

"Really? Since when did a consultation has a time? What makes you assume that this was a consultation?" Tony glared at her when she said that, Emily merely smirked but Phil spoke before Tony could say anything.

"This isn't a consultation."

"Is this about The Avengers? Which I...I know nothing about." Emily rolled her eyes as Phil looked at her. Emily knew that if S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't thought she was dead till recently that they would have asked to be part of the avengers sooner.

"The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought. And I didn't even qualify." He started to walk as he said that.

"I didn't know that either."

"Yeah, apparently I'm volatile, self obsessed, don't play well with others."

"That I did know."

"This isn't about personality profiles anymore." Tony started looking the things on he tablet.

"Whatever. Miss Potts, got a minute?"

"One moment." Emily and Phil remained standing where they were standing, Emily leaned to Phil and whispered to him.

"Exactly what is on that tablet." Phil gestured to where Tony and Piper were standing before he spoke.

"Watch, I am sure he will put it up on screen." Than Emily heard Pepper say something to Tony of what he said of which Emily didn't catch.

"I was having twelve percent of a moment. This seems serious, Phil's pretty shaken." Emily snorted when Tony said that, Phil glanced over at her with showing, what before he whispered.

"How is that she would be able to tell that?" Emily was close of snorting again, Emily whispered back to Phil.

"You have a girlfriend, figure it out yourself." Emily smiled he glanced her like you are no help at all so Emily whispered. "Well what do you expect that I give you my brain say here this is how a woman thinks." When Emily said that, that Phil put his hand over his face, like he does when she made a comment like that. Phil didn't bother to say anything as Tony spoke.

"How did you notice? Why is he Phil?" Pepper didn't pay any attention to what Tony was saying and she was looking at the images that were on the tablet.

"What is all this?"

"This is uh..." With a flick of Tony's hand that he spreads all the profiles of the other avengers on the different compute screens. It was the different profiles of the other avengers that were selected to join if they accepted to join. Emily was surprised, she could see Bruce Banner on there as well as Bruce turning into the hulk. There was Thor, or who she assume was Thor, she heard all about what happen at New Mexico from Phil. At that time, Emily had been down at Camp Jupiter. There was also footage of Emily and Steve fighting HYDRA there as well, Emily heard that she scary when she was fighting in the war. She also heard that from the campers, in both camps, of the same thing when she helps them train with sword, powers or both. Emily would admit that the daughter of hades powers can be scary and her sword ability went up since she was adopted by Hades. But she hadn't realized of how scary she looked fighting before she become a daughter of Hades. She was sure that she looked ten times as scary now when she fights than back than. "This." Emily learned to Phil.

"You know I never watched the footage before while fighting among the howling commandos. I knew that after being adopted of how scary I could be when I fought, but I hadn't realized it of scary I could be before that adoption." Phil smiled slightly.

"I am not going to deny that, I am just surprised that the red skull didn't focus on you as much as he did your brother."

"He is your brother too."

"Half brother, but it is too weird to think of him as a brother."

"You managed it with me."

"Only because I got used to it." Emily snorted when Phil said that. Than Emily heard Pepper talking once more.

"I'm going to take the jet to D.C. tonight."

"Tomorrow."

"You have homework. You have a lot of homework."

"Well, what if I didn't?"

"If you didn't?"

"Yeah." Emily rolled her eyes, Emily could see Phil smiling a little and soho hair head when Emily did that and when Tony said that.

"You mean if you finished?" Tony nodded his head than Pepper walked closer to Tony.

"Well, um...then... " Than she whispered something in Tony's ear and Phil looked away in embarrass. When Phil did that Emily mouthed at him. "Really, you are embarrassed at something. You can't hear? Phil mouthed back at you, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what is it. Emily shrugged before she mouthed back, true, it doesn't but it still doesn't explain why you looked away embarrass. His static expression was close of breaking down so Emily could tell from how he was acting that he was basically saying well. Than Emily mouthed Men before looking from Phil of who snorted when Emily mouthed that.

"Square deal. It's the last date." Pepper kissed Tony.

"Work hard." Pepper walked back towards them.

"So any chance you're driving by Laguardia?"

"I can drop you."

"Fantastic. I want to hear about the cellist. Would I assume that's he is the cellist?" Emily laughed and smiled when Pepper said that before she face palm herself than emily spoke.

"That is the second time something like that happened." Emily removed her hand as Tony looked over at the three of them than Phil spoke.

"No, she is not the cellist." Than Phil looked at her. "Second time?" Emily put one of her hands on his shoulder before she spoke.

"I will tell you later." Pepper merely shrugged before she spoke

"So, the cellist. Is that still a thing?"

"She moved back to Portland."

"What? Boo!" Emily removed her hand from Phil's shoulder as they started towards the elevator before they could enter that Tony spoke.

"Hang on a second." He three of them froze, Tony walked up to them and looked at Emily.

"Didn't you say your name was Rachel Blackthrone?" Emily raised an eyebrow when he said that.

"Yes, why?"

"Aren't you one of the agents?"

"I am more of a consultant but I do go on some missions, usually with Phil though."

"I noticed that you seem to be around where Phil is half of the time. Why?" Emily shrugged.

"Does that really matter all that much?"

"Yes." Emily looked at Phil, it was clear Phil didn't want to reveal that he was a demigod to Tony than Emily looked back at Tony.

"Let's just say that is something that is not talked about, not even among S.H.I.E.L.D." Phil looked relieved when Emily said that.

"Fair enough. But I want to know one thing." Tony gestured to the poppy around her wrist. "Where did you get that?" Emily looked down at the poppy before looking at Tony. Emily hoped that Tony wouldn't noticed the poppy for the rest of the time she had the poppy covered her jacket sleeve. She didn't bother to put the sleeve over the poppy that night before she came here.

"Why do you want to know? What is so important about a poppy?"

"Simple, from the record and footage that Emily Rogers has a poppy that turns into a sword. She used to make the poppy grow to fight with or use it as a sword along with her staff. After Emily died that the poppy vanished and no one ever found it. I saw enough pictures of that poppy to know when I see that poppy and I know that the poppy that belongs to Wmily Rogers. From what I heard that Emily never died in the first place for there rumors of her bee in sighted in the last two weeks." Emily tilted her head before she spoke.

"What are you getting at?"

"I think you are Emily Rogers." Emily looked at Phil of who shook his head than emily looked at Tony.

"Just go back to what you were doing." Before Tony could say or do anything that Pepper, Phil and Emily entered the elevator and the doors closed.

The next day that Phil had picked them up in a plane craft as Steve called it though Emily thought of calling it a plane nut. But decided against it, Emily knew at they had advanced technology but she never thought the technology was like this. Phil had also showed the videos of the others that S.H.I.E.L.D. were thinking of calling in. Phil walked over as Emily and Steve watched on the laptop, Emily to explain what a laptop was to Steve since he never saw one before.

"So this Doctor Banner was trying to replicate the serum that was used on me?"

"A lot of people were. You were the world's first superhero. Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula." A footage of the Hulk's attack on the army at culver was being showed at the moment.

"Didn't really go his way, did it?"

"Not so much. When he's not that thing though, guy's like a Stephen Hawking." Emily was close of laughing when she saw the look on Steve's face, Emily may not have been up to date on every single in this world, she was close though, but she was far enough along to know who Stephen Hawking was. It was clear that Steve didn't understand what Phil had meet.

"He's like a smart person. I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you, officially. I sort of met you, I mean, I watched you while you were sleeping. I mean, I was... I was present while you were unconscious from the ice. You know, it's really, it's just a... just a huge honor to have you two on board." As Phil spoke that Emily put the laptop to one said and the tow of them stood up before going behind the pilots, Phil followed them.

"Well, I hope I'm the man for the job."

"Oh, you are. Absolutely. Uh... we've made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input."

"The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little... old-fashioned?"

"With everything that's happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old-fashioned." Phil than looked over at Emily before he had went on. "We tried to recreate your uniform but it was difficult due to one of the fabrics that was used couldn't be found. We managed to make an uniform but we had a hard time improving it."

"I will have to ask Hephaestus look at it after this mission."

"Hephaestus?"

"You know the god of the forge and blacksmiths, he made my uniform last time and I believe that is why you were having a hard time with my uniform. I have to admit that it would be nice to have a second uniform."

"So you know where your uniform is than?" Emily nodded when Phil said that.

"It is the blue bracelet. When I tug on it that it becomes the uniform and the green bracelet is my Greek armor and the poppy is my sword."

"What about the necklace?"

"If I swish it becomes a Stygian iron sword but if I circle it around that it becomes my staff from the war." Phil merely nodded when Emily had said that. Than the plane landed and they got off that Phil walked away from them and Natasha approached them.

"There was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America or Lieutenant America trading cards yet?"

"Trading cards?" Emily shook her head when Steve said that. Emily meant to tell him about that but there was so much more that she needed to catch him up on than telling him about the trading cards.

"They're vintage, he's very proud." Natasha looked at Emily, Emily spoke.

"I already signed those trading cards some time ago when he learned about me." Natasha raised an eyebrow when Emily said that. "That is a long story, Natasha." Natasha shrugged as Dr. Bruce Banner walked over to them and Steve shook Steve's hand.

"Dr. Banner."

"Oh, yeah. Hi. They told me you tow would be coming."

"Word is you can find the cube."

"Is that the only word on me?"

"Only word I care about."

"Must be strange for you two, all of this."

"Well, this is actually kind of familiar."

"Unlike Steve, that I hadn't been in the ice, so I didn't to adjust to this time as he has."

"Gentlemen, you may wanna step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breath." Suddenly the air carrier started to shake as to prepare to dive into the ocean.

"Is this is a submarine?"

"Maybe for all we known. I am not sure if prefer to be under water or in the sky. Not a big fan of either."

"Really? They wanted me in a submerged pressurized metal container?" Emily, Bruce, and Steve walked close to the edge of the carrier, fans began to rotate and the carrier started to lift into the air. "Oh, no. This is much worse." When Emily, Steve and Bruce reached he meeting room that Nick was standing there he greeted them.

"Gentlemen and Lady." Steve walks up Nick and handed him a ten dollar Bill before walking back over to Emily. Emily smiled lightly when Steve did that, even after of what they been through that it didn't possible that Steve could be surprise again. Than Nick looked at Bruce.

"Doctor, thank you for coming."

"Thanks for asking nicely. So, uh...how long am I staying?"

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the clear."

"Where are you with that?" Nick pointed to Coulson to explain.

"We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us."

"That's still not gonna find them in time."

"You have to narrow the field. How many spectrometers do you have access to?"

"How many are there?"

"Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?"

"Agent Romanoff, would you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please."

"You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys." Bruce and Natasha left the meet room, Emily remained by Nick as Steve went to the table and leaned against it and Phil walked over to him and started talking with him. Emily looked back at the two, it was amusing really to watch her two brothers talk, though Phil was being a fan boy or whatever. Nicky than spoke

"Emily." Emily looked back at Nick of who was looking at her. "I know before this idea was scrapped that Phil talked to your half sister about the avengers. I want to call her in but I have no way of doing it... "

"I will contact Severus." Nick raised an eyebrow when Emily said that. "Severus is my nephew more or less and he acts like an uncle to Arabella and Severus watches over Arabella while she is at school." Nick nodded when Emily said that, than one of the agents spoke up.

"We got a hit. Sixty seven percent match. Weight, cross match, seventy nine percent."

"Location?"

"Stuttgart, Germany. 28, Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding."

"Captain, Lieutenant, you're up." Emily nodded and tugged at her blue bracelet, the agents nearby grasp slightly as her Lieutenant USA uniform had suddenly covered her, as she slaked over to Steve of who started to walk out of the meeting room that she took off her skull necklace and swish it in a circle so it turned into her staff. Emily put the staff on her back of where the strap was for her staff was, for he most her staff was on her back like Steve's shield was either on his back or on his arm. Emily went to board a Quinjet and a few minutes later that Steve had come into the hanger wearing the new Captain America suit.


	3. Chapter 3

They were above the city in the Quinjet, Loki was telling a crowd to kneel and was speaking as he walked though the crowd. During the flight here that Emily sent an Iris message to Severus telling him what was going on. Severus was worried but promise to tell Arabella even though Emily and Severus did want her there. It was too high for Emily to hear Loki properly, but Loki didn't look as Emily expected him to look like. She expected that he would look a little like Thor or even Odin, but there was not a trace to be found that he was adopted by the family. It was hard to tell of which story was true in Norse Myths, it was much like when she learned about the Greek gods being real as well as the Roman gods and was trying to figure out which myth had the most true to it. For some of the myths had more than one version of the story, but Emily pushed that out of her mind as one of the older men stood up and told Loki off. When Loki was getting to shoot him down when Emily and Steve had jumped out of the Quinjet. Steve had blocked the blast with his shield but Emily had used shadow travel to take the man back a few feet.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing." As Steve spoke that he had walked towards Loki of who was getting onto his knees from the blast.

"The soldier. A man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time." The Quinjet had moved into view and she heard Natasha telling Loki to lower his staff and surrender. Of course that didn't happen, so the three of them started fighting, Steve pretty much fight the same way in the way using his shield and hand to hand combat. While Emily used her powers to help since she could use it to distract him, it sort of work for a couple of times he had blasted at her but she moved out of the way before it hit her. When Loki had managed to knock them both to the floor that there was music coming form somewhere. Emily looked around and than noticed that something had come from behind the Quinjet. When it was close enough that it shot at Loki and when the thing hit the pavement that Emily realized what and who it was. It was Tony Stark or Iron man, he had loaded the guns as Emily got up and walked over to him as well as Steve.

"Move a move Reindeer games." Loki had than dropped the staff that he was holding, Emily merely raised an eyebrow at this. Loki had something up his sleeve, that was clear, Emily knew enough about the Norse stories to know that Loki wasn't called the Trickster god for no reason. For he always had something up his sleeve even it looked like he had nothing to gain from it.

"Mr. Stark."

"Captain." They had boarded the Quinjet once it had landed, than it closed the doors and took off. Emily had sat down at one end of the Quinjet while Loki sat close to the door but Tony and Steve were behind the pilots talking

"I don't like it."

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"

"I don't remember it being that easy. This guy packs a wallop."

"Still, you were pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?"

"What?"

"It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle."Steve looked at Tony annoyed when Tony said that. Emily merely shook her head, she was surprised that Tony hadn't said anything to her yet. Not that she minded.

"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in."

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you." Tony was about ready to say something but Emily had spoke.

"Ladies, do you mind? This girl talk is getting annoying." When Emily said that Natasha laughed, not only that but Loki chuckled from where he was sitting. Tony glared at her, Emily glared back at Tony, it was clear that Tony recognized her voice but was confused about it, tony was about ready to say something but Loki spoke.

"Tell me, how did you end up here, in this realm, in the first place?" Emily looked at Loki surprised, it seem that Loki didn't realize or know that they were other gods besides the horse gods or Asgardains as they call themselves.

"I was born in this realm." Loki looked shocked when Emily said that.

"But you are Asgardian. You have magic and have powers. I seen you used them not too long ago." Emily rolled her eyes when Loki said that, it was clear that Loki was unaware of the stories of the gods on earth or Midgard as he would call it.

"I am not Asgardian, never have been and I doubt that I would ever be an Asgardian."

"But what about the powers you were using and the magic."

"What you call magic is different to Greek demigod, like me than it is for someone like you, for it means something else entirely and I am not able to use magic. The powers you saw me use, mostly the plants was something I was born due to the fact that I am a demigod. Half god, half mortal and the powers come from my mother." Loki was about ready to respond when suddenly there in a lighting and thunder storm, Emily gripped her seat as the Quinjet had become rocky. Emily thought it was Zeus, but something was off about the storm, if it was Zeus that he would had the clouds over them and have wind blown at the ship. Not like the clouds that were around the ship at the moment, Emily thought that Zeus was not happy about something.

"Where's this coming from?" Emily looked at Natasha when she said that before looking at Loki. Loki looked worried and nervous, it seems that Steve noticed this as well.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." Suddenly something landed on top of the Quinjet, when that thing landed that Emily understood that the storm cloud was not Zeus' doing at all. Before Emily could say or do anything that Natasha had opened the door, than a man had entered the Quinjet. He looked just as Emily expected him to, he had blond hair, blue eyes, tanned skin and a build similar to Eros or Thanatos. He had grabbed Loki before leaving the Quinjet, Tony had put the helmet back on his head and walked to the open door.

"Now there's that guy."

"Another Asgardian?"

"Think the guy's a friendly?"

"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost." Tony turns, he started to get ready to jump after Thor, he put his helmet on and went to the door of the Quinjet.

"Stark we need a plan of attack!"

"I have a plan. Attack." Tony than jumped out of the jet and chase after Thor, Steve grabbed a parachute and Emily followed suit, she spoke while she put it on.

"You know, for a genius, he can be really stupid." Natasha had spoke.

"That is one of the more nicer ways of putting it." Emily shook her heard when Natasha said that. "I'd sit this one out, Cap. You two Lieutenant." It was still rather strange to being called Lieutenant after all this years, it got to the point she was used to hearing either Rachel or Emily. Emily didn't bother to respond as she worked to the door with Steve.

"I don't see how I can."

"These guys come from legends, they're basically Gods."

"There's only the Greek Gods, ma'am. And I'm pretty sure that they doesn't dress like that."

"I can confirm that fact for sure. They will Greek armor in battle not what Thor is warring or even Loki. Otherwise they dress the same as everyone else." Both Emily and Steve leaped from the Quinjet. It didn't take too long to find Tony and Thor, Emily managed to land on the rocks and Steve land next to her. Steve threw his shield between Tony and Thor before jumping down and spoke.

"Hey! That's enough!" Steve than looked at Thor and jumped off the rocks whirl Emily remained where she was. "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here."

"I've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes!"

"Then prove it! Put the hammer down."

"Um, yeah, no! Bad call! He loves his hammer!" Thor had than knocked Tony back with his hammer before looking at Steve and spoke.

"You want me to put the hammer down?" Thor was about ready to leap at Steve when Emily had spoke in Ancient Greek.

"Thor, stop." Thor stopped suddenly and looked at Emily in surprised, from the look on Steve's face was that of surprise and confusing. Than Thor spoke in Ancinet Greek.

"How is possible that you know how to spoke in Ancient Greek? Only an Asgardian knows how to speak in this language. The only other ones that could were the Greek gods of old Midgard." Emily wasn't sure made her speak in Ancient Greek but as she thought of the Norse myths that she remembered something. Here was a chance that Odin clue have reached Loki and Thor Greek at least, but till than Emily wasn't sure on that fact. It was clear that Odin at least told Thor about the Greek gods but for some. Reason he didn't tell Loki about the Greek gods. Emily jumped down from the rock she she been standing and spoke in Ancient Greek.

"My brain is hardware for Ancient Greek."

"How is that possible?"

"Because the Greek gods are still around and I am a Greek demigod, Steve, Tony and myself are planning on ending Loki's schemes as well. Don't take it personally of what Tony did, he trends to act before he thinks half of the time." It was true, from the times she saw him when she was around Phil that it seems that Tony would act before he thinks.

"How do I know you are speaking truly?"

"I swear on the river Styx that I am telling the truth that we are trying to stop Loki and whatever he plans on doing." Thunder rumbled above them and Thor lowered his hammer. Steve stood up more properly, since he got himself ready for the blow of the hammer on the shield, Tony managed to get back up on his feet after being knocked off his feet. Steve looked at Emily confused, Emily send him a look that she would explain later, Steve looked back at Tony and Thor.

"Are we done here?" All of them nodded.

When they reached the Helicarrier that some of the guards took Loki to his cell, Emily, Steve, Natasha, and Thor went to the main room. A minute later that Bruce joined them before a video appeared on the screens at the table that they were sitting at. Emily heard Nick started talking.

"In case it's unclear, you try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass." Nick presses a button of which opened up a huge whole in the middle of the cage that Loki was in. So that the cage could be dropped below to the ground, Emily didn't think that would work of killing Loki. "Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Nick pointed to Loki. "Ant." Than he points at the button that he pushed. "Boot." Loki laughs when Nick said that.

"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger than you."

"Oh, I've heard." Loki looks into the camera of which they were watching from, Emily shifted uncomfortable. "The mindless beast, makes play to be the man." Than Loki looked away and back at Nick. "How desperate are you? You call on these lost creatures to defend you."

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."

"Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."

"Yeah, well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something." Nick walks off leaving Loki in his glass cell." When the monsters went off that Bruce spoke.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?"No one had said anything for a moment before Steve had spoke and he was looking at Thor.

"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?"

"He has an army called the Chitauri, that none of Asgard nor any world know. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. Return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

"An army, from outer space."

"I am surprised he doesn't use Norse monsters or Greek monsters for his army." Everyone looked at her, Emily merely shrugged. "Never mind, I forget about what you guys are when I said that." Nice shrugged before he spoke.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."

"Selvig?"

"He's an astrophysicist."

"He's a friend."

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours."

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here."

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him."

"I don't care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother."

"He killed eighty people in two days."

"He's adopted."

"Actually we should focus both on the minions he had gain, even the one he has under a mind control, as well as Loki himself."

"Why are you two are focus on Loki so much?"Emily had stood up and walked over to Bruce.

"Simple but we both have different reasons. We had fought HYDRA in World War II of which was lead by the red skull. From what I had gathered so far from Loki that he thinks similar to the Red Skull but yet they hunk differently. That is the main reason for Steve on questioning of why he let use take him for the red skull would not do such a thing. He would run not surrender but their goals are similar to have control over the earth. After learning I was a demigod that I had read about the other myths about gods, with the appearance of Thor and a Loki had confirmed that the Norse gods are around but they are not the same as the Greek gods. Loki is the god of Mischief and he is also known as the trickster god. He is planning something, he started when he surrender, for no one gives up that quietly when a third person enters a fight and he was fighting with two people. One of where he was using hand to had and the other using her powers. I could tell he has quite a punch and his powers are stronger than his punch." Everyone was looking at Emily when she had said that and no one said anything.


	4. Chapter 4

Emily looked at everyone, Thor merely nodded. Emily knew that Thor knew first hand of what Loki was like and knew what Emily said about Loki was true. There was no denying that Loki was a trickster and was a good one, the only one who might be able to match him was Hermes. However if Hecate and Hermes worked together that they could easily overtake Loki with ease. But Emily knows that they won't take part in this, more so with the fact that there was two demigods that were on the Helicarrier that Emily was aware of. Than it seems Bruce thought of something, one of the items needed for the cube to work properly for whatever Loki was planning.

"Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Than Tony walked in with Phil.

"It's a stabilizing agent." Tony than said something to Phil, Emily figured of what that was about but didn't say anything. Than Tony turned away from Phil and Emily,looked at Phil and mouthed one word, girlfriend. Phil looked away embarrassed, that answered her question for Emily knows that Phil has a girlfriend a cellist but behind that Emily didn't know anything anoint her. Expect for the fact that his girlfriend lives in Portland now the tour was over for her at least. Tony went on as though he never stopped. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD." Than Tony patted Thor's arm. "No hard feelings Point Break, you've got a mean swing." Than Tony went back to the iridium. "Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants."

One of the monitors was raised this Tony pointed over to one of the agents and spoke. "That man is playing gallaga!" Emily looked at Tony and shook her head, Steve was looking at Tony in confusion. "Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." Tony was looking at the computer monitors in front of himself, this he covered one of his eyes.

"How does Fury even see these?"

"He turns." It was Agent Hill that spoke. Tony turned away from the monitors.

"Sounds exhausting." Than Tony looked at the rest of the avengers. "The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick start the cube."

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Emily smiled when Tony looked slightly confused like he was trying to figure out of how he knew that.

"Last night. The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" Emily did read it but she didn't understand half of it, however hat was not why she was brought aboard. Emily was brought aboard because of her history with he Tesseract, as well as her knowledge of the myths and stories do the gods.

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"

"He got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier."

"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunnelling effect."

"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet."

"Finally, someone who speaks English."

"Is that what just happened?"

"Apparently, they sound just like sons of Athena." Tony and Bruce shook hands as Emily said that and Steve smiled when Emily said that. But Tony paid no heed to what Emily and Steve said, not that to matter all that much anyway.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. You're work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster."

"Thanks." Nick than entered the meeting room, of where everyone was.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him."

"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a Hydra weapon."

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."

"Monkeys? I do not understand."

"I do!" Emily smiled slightly when Steve said that, for once he got something that she didn't have to explain to him. Steve was pointing at Thor before he lowered his hand. "I understood that reference." Emily looked at Steve.

"I would be worried if you didn't understood that reference anyway. But I read enough about the Norse myths to know that the Tesseract is dangerous and it should leave this planet." Nick looked at Emily when she said that. Tony was looking at her confused, like he was still trying to figure out of how she is.

"How dangerous is it?"

"Just from the stories I read and from what I seen it could do in World War II that is one of the most dangerous things in the known worlds. There are only a few more things can be more dangerous than that, but I am not going to say those items."

"If they are dangerous ... "

"Nick, don't go there. I told you and the others years ago that there things you can't control or even try to get your hands on them. Those items are among them, those items are out of your reach, you can't send agents to get them for they are not part of the world I am. I also said that I will not take any of those items for S.H.I.E.L.D to look at and study, for you won't be able to understand to know it's full potential. That is part of the reason of why it would be best if the Tesseract leaves this planet. Even if we get it back, that it would hard to control and it could be turned on from another realm." Nick was about ready to say something but Thor spoke.

"Lady Emily is right, that the Tesseract should this planet. It is part of my realm history and it should be return to my realm." Nick merely nodded it was clear that he understood of where they were coming from with this. Than Tony spoke.

"Hang on a second." Emily looked at Tony as he looked at her. "You are that demigod Consultant, Rachel Blackthrone." Emily smiled slightly and looked at Phil.

"So how long did it take Tony to figure out that Emily Barnes and Rachel Blackthrone are one in the same."

"Just over a day."

"I thought he would get it quicker than that." Phil was closeof laughing when Emily size that, Tony rolled his eyes. After Emily said that, that everyone went to do their own thing, Emily was exploring the Helicarrier. After a few minutes of wandering the Helicarrier that a voice behind Emily had spoke.

"You know it's not often that there is a demigod in this realm." Emily turned around and looked at Thor.

"It is rather common with the Greek gods and goddesses." Thor walked over to her and looked at her carefully.

"It seems a little hard to believe that you are a demigod. Did they brought you here because of that fact or was it because you know the Norse stories?"

"Actually they brought Steve and myself here because we know the most about the Tesseract and we had seen what to can do first hand. For we fought against HYDRA of who used it as a weapon for different things."

"Steve is your brother, is he not?"

"He is my brother and he is a demigod but he doesn't know how to his demigod powers yet. Until he gets use to this time that I won't teach him that, just being asleep for almost seventy years and the world change while you sleep is a lot to wrap one mind's around. He doesn't need anything else to add to what he is learning now." Thor merely nodded when Emily said that.

"Which god is your godly parent, Lady Emily."

"Demeter." Thor bowed and kissed her hand, Emily was slightly surprised when Thor did that, Emily figures that might be a common thing on Asgard. Thor looked at Emily.

"I home we meet again after this, daughter of Demeter." Than Thor walked away from her, so Emily kept wandering the ship. For the most part Emily and Steve remained together, that was when Steve found her after he was talking to Tony and Bruce. as they explored the Helicarrier that they found uniforms and armor from HYDRA during World War II. Emily carried one of the uniforms up while Steve carried the weapon up, when they reached the lab that Nick was talking to Tony and Bruce. Emily didn't bother to join in the fighting, mainly because she got that bad feeling that something bad was going to happen. Suddenly there was an explosion, Bruce and Natasha were thrown out of the window of the lab, Emily had been close but Steve managed to catch her hand before she lost her balance.

When Steve had let go of her hand that Steve and Tony went to the one engine while Emily went running towards where Loki was being hold. When Emily reached there that the cell was gone and Phil was laying on the floor with the gun is his lap. Emily had walked over to Phil and put her hand over the wound before she started chant in Ancient Greek. As she chanted that she could feel the wound closing up and finally it healed totally, Emily took her hand off of where the wound was. Phil looked at her with a small smile, as he did so that she heard Apollo tell her that he would need to put Phil in a coma since the staff did some more damage than what Emily could do with her healing. Apollo told her that there was a chance that Phil could die but she gave Phil a better chance of living. Phil closed his eyes as Nick entered the area, Emily looked at Nick before he spoke.

"Is he died?"

"No, but he is in a coma for the time being."

Once the Helicarrier was able to fly level that everyone made it to the main room or the ones that were able to do so. For Thor was not there as well as Bruce, Natasha was with Barton, that left Emily, Steve and Tony in the meeting had with Nick. Nick told Tony and Steve about what happened to Phil and his chance of staying in the coma and the chance of Phil dying. After Nick brought up the avengers that Tony stormed out of the room, Steve got up and followed Tony. So Emily got up and followed Steve, it didn't take long to find Tony and Steve for they were talking as Emily entered the room that they were in. Emily went over to Steve's side but she didn't say anything as Steve and Tony spoke.

"Was he married?"

"No. There was a, uh... cellist. I think."

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot."

"Why? For believing?"

"For taking on Loki alone."

"He was doing his job."

"He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have..."

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony."

"Right, I've heard that before."

"Is this the first time you've lost a soldier?"

"WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS! I am not marching to Fury's fife!"

"Neither am I! He's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does. But right now we've got to put that behind us and get this done." When Steve had said that, than Emily than spoke.

"I am not either, no one is. If there is something I learned as a demigod that there is something coming and would to take over the earth, no matter what it is or from what world. If Loki wins, the earth will change and not for the better." It seemed that Tony didn't like hearing about this and went on, if he did that he didn't show it.

"He made it personal."

"That's not the point."

"That IS the point. That's Loki's point! He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart."

"Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? THAT'S what he wants. He wants to beat us, he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."

"Right. I caught his act at Stuttgart."

"Yeah, that was just previews. This is - this is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered..." Emily smiled when Tony and Steve looked at each other, realizing of where Loki was going and where the Tesseract is going as well for it was clear of where the Tesseract was going as well as Loki. "Sonofabitch!" Tony had than quickly went to put on his armor.


	5. Chapter 5

When Tony left that Emily and Steve had went to visit Natasha, she was in the main room that Clint was placed in. Emily and Steve stood at the doorway and looked at her before Steve spoke.

"Time to go."

"Go where?"

"I'll tell you on the way. Can you fly one of those jets?" Clint walks in, Steve looked surprised.

"I can." Steve looked at Natasha and she nods her head to confirm Clint was on their side.

"You got a suit?"

"Yeah."

"Then suit up." Emily was back in her Lieutenant USA uniform while Steve was in his Captain America uniform with the mask up, Emily has an ear piece in her ear. Clint and Natasha were walking behind Emily and Steve as they boarded the Quinjet that one of the pilots spoke.

"You guys aren't authorized to be in here."

"Son, just don't." Once they managed to get the S.H.I.E.L.D. people out that Clint and Natasha took the pilot and do pilot seats and closed the doors before taking off to Manhattan. Emily watched as they landed in Manhattan, there signs of the attack everywhere, Emily wasn't sure when the last time she saw New York looking like this. Natasha managed to get hold of Tony.

"Stark, we're heading north east."

"What, did you stop for drive-thru? Swing that park, I'm gonna lay 'em out for you." Natasha did what Tony ask, they managed to hit some of the aliens, than they crashed in the ground. They got out of the jet and saw the giant airship thing that came out of the portal.

"Stark, are you seeing this?"

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?"

"Banner?"

"Just keep me posted." Some of the achitauri warriors landed near them, Steve looked. Ack at Emily, Natasha and Clint.

"You think you can hold them off?"

"Captain, it would be my genuine pleasure." So they started fighting the Chitauri while Steve made his way towards the cops nearby to help them. Emily used mostly her powers from her mother and Hades, of which was basically the shadows and plants. Emily grasp the poppy, the poppy became her sword, she grasp her necklace and circled it making it her staff from World War II. As they were fighting that she heard the other two tasking.

"Just like Budapest all over again!"

"You and I remember Budapest very differently." After a few minutes that Steve returned and he managed to get the police to make sure that people stay out of the fighting area. Than lighting had hit some of the aliens nearby and they were killed as soon as the lightning it them. Thor had flew over the debris and landed close by. Thor stood up properly and walked to Steve of who walked over to Thor as well as steve spoke.

"What is the story upstairs."

"The cube is impenetrable."

"Thor's right, we have to deal with this guys." As Tony spoke that he went flying nearby them, Emily was at least glad that they had at least two people that can fly.

"How do we do this?"

"As a team."

"I have unfinished business with Loki."

"Yeah. Get in line."

"Save it. Loki is going to keep the fight focus on us and that's what we need. We got Stark on top. . ." Steve turned around as he spoke facing them but he stopped talking when he noticed that Emily, Thor, Natasha and Clint were staring at something. Shadows formed behind Steve, Steve stopped tasking and turned around, a fifteen year old girl stepped out of the shadows. Emily smiled when she saw Arabella, Arabella ran over to Emily.

"Hey Arabella, I wasn't sure if you were going to come or not. I hope you are aware you are breaking school reasons just being here."

"Like I care." Emily smirked.

"You know, you picked up to much from Fred, George, Ron and Harry." Arabella was about ready to say something when she heard a motorcycle. They looked towards the sound and it was a motorcycle, not only that but it was Bruce that was driving it. Emily and he others walked towards Bruce, Bruce stopped the motorcycle and got off. He looked at Arabella for a few moments but he didn't questioned as eh slaked toward them a few steps before he stopped.

"So... this all seems horrible."

"I've seen worse." Bruce looked at Natasha.

"Sorry."

"No, we could... use... a little worse." Steve than spoke into the ear piece.

"Stark, we got him."

"Banner?

"Just like you said."

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." There was a crash as a huge giant worm air craft crashed into the building with Tony flying in front of it. Emily gripped her sword tighter and she could hear Thor grunt and her was sure that he gripped his hammer tighter ready for the fight. Emily heard Arabella taking out her own sword.

"I don't see how that is a party." Emily smirked when Natasha said that. Bruce didn't say anything, instead he was staring at the machine or whatever it was and started walking towards the flying ship. Steve took a couple of steps forward.

"Dr. Banner." Bruce looked back at Steve. "Now might be a really good to get angry."

"That's my secret, captain." He looked at the monster once more before looking back at Steve. "I'm always angry." Bruce turned to face the machine as he did so that he started to change into the hulk. He used one hand to stop the aircraft and it started to go up and than fall down of where Emily and the others were. Tony told them to hang on and he started firing at the tail, Emily lite herself up with normal fire, thankfully since she became Hestia's champion that Hephaestus added some things to her Lieutenant USA uniform. He would have to do it anyway due to the fact that Hades adopted her and Emily has control over dark fire or black hellfire. Black hellfire was more dangerous than normal fire, but she was sure that she didn't need it now. Emily also started hitting the tail with her fire when she lit herself up. Steve was using his shield and Natasha was behind him also with the shield over herself as well. Clint and Arabella went next to a car and Thor was using his own power as well.

The tail went off to one side missing the seven of them, Emily remained where she was as the others got up from their position. All eight of them were standing in a circle as the aliens started to roar at them for destroying one of their machines or creatures. Like as if Emily cared of what they were thinking about or how mad they were with Emily and the others for destroying the giant worm, the hulk roared in respond to the aliens. Emily was still light up and she was standing next to Steve, than it was Tony in his ironman suit. Next to Tony was the Hulk, than it was Barton and he was holding his bow with an arrow in the bow. Than Thor was next to Barton and Thor was holding his hammer, than it was Natasha of who was standing between Arabella and Thor, Natasha had a gun in her hand. Arabella was next to Emily's other side and Arabella has her sword out. Emily looked up at the portal as well as Natasha, she saw that more aliens and the machines, or creatures, was coming out of the portal above the Stark building.

"Guys." The others looked up at the portal when Natasha said that.

"Call it, Captain!" Emily looked at Tony with a surprised look, ever since Tony arrived that Tony and Steve been at odds with each other for the most part.

"Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal, our priority's containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash." Emily smiled as Steve spoke, this was the first time in two weeks that Steve was himself once more. Emily knew that he been have difficult time adjusting to this time. But now, she was sure that it would not so hard on him to get adjusted to this new world he found himself part of.

"Want to give me a lift?"

"Right. Better clench up, Legolas." Tony walked over to Clint and took Clint by the collar of his shirt and shot up into the sky towards the building that Steve told Barton to go to. Than Steve looked over at Thor before he went on with his orders.

"Thor, you gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow 'em down. You got the lightning. Light the bastards up." Thor swing his hammer and flied over to the Empire State Building, Emily hopes that Zeus doesn't do anything when Thor gets there. However, Emily doubted lighting would have any effect on Thor since Thor was a god of lighting and thunder in the Norse stories. Besides there was a chance that Zeus knows Thor and was fine with Thor being there, it wasn't like Thor was in Olympus. Than Steve looked at Arabella, Emily and Natasha of who were looking at Steve.

"You two, me and Emily, we stay here on the ground, keep the fighting here. And Hulk?" Steve turned to face the hulk. The Hulk turned around and looked at Steve. "Smash!" The Hulk grinned and leaped away from them. After that, the fighting seemed to be a blur to Emily, her sword easily cut down the aliens. Emily knows that the sword could be used against mortals and anything from the demigod world. But it was questionable if it worked with the aliens or if the sword would go right though them like a normal celestial bronze sword does with a mortal. Soon enough Emily found herself on a bridge with Arabella Steve and Natasha, it felt like forever even though Emily knows it had only been a short amount of time.

"Captain, none of this is going to mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal."

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it."

"Well, maybe it's not about guns."

"If you want to get up there, you're gonna need a ride."

"I got a ride. I could use a boost, though."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah. It's gonna be fun." Emily and Arabella kept fighting to make sure none of the aliens go near them, Emily watched and Natasha ran and jumped onto the shield. Than she made onto one of the flying crafts that the aliens were using, but at that moment that an alien managed to knock Emily to her feet. Emily was about ready to stabbed the alien with her sword when it made a gasping sound. Emily looked down and saw a gold arrow of where it's heart should be, the alien moved back against the railing of the bridge and fell over the side of the bridge. Emily looked back to where the alien been standing before to see who had used that arrow for she knows it wasn't Barton. There were four people standing there, four people that Emily knew were alive but she was never able to find them. All of them had a gold bow in their hands and a gold quiver with gold arrows on their backs and they were all were gold jackets over their commando uniforms. It was Dum Dum, Gabe, Jim and Lauren.

Emily got up from where she was before she ran over to Lauren and hugged her, Lauren hugged her back while the other three went over to Steve. Emily didn't care that there was a battle going on, after about sixty seven years of not being able to talk to Lauren and not seeing Lauren matter at the moment. A few tears left her eyes as she hugged Lauren, after a minute that Emily pulled away from the hug and notice that Lauren been crying as well. Emily didn't blame her, for, unlike with Emily, Lauren no idea that Emily was still alive since Lauren wasn't adopted by Hades. If Lauren was than Emily would have known by now. The others come over and greeted Emily when they greeted Steve while Steve hugged Lauren before letting her go. The sip even of them to go on with the fighting since the aliens been closing in on them during their reunion. As they fought that Lauren spoke.

"I thought you two were dead."

"No, we are not dead." It was Emily who spoke.

"Well we did learn that Steve was a life a couple of weeks ago when he was taken out of the ice. But what happen to you?"

"I was adopted by one of the gods and become immortal."

"Did the said god made you immortal?"

"Yes."

"Why did he made you immortal?" Emily cut off one of the heads of the aliens before she spoke.

"Because I am his heir to his realm if something were to happen to him than I will become the next ruler."

"Are you saying my father adopted you. That would be weird, even if I think of you as a sister."

"Oh please, he wouldn't pick me since he has other children to pass that onto and some are gods. However if I was Zeus, I would pick you to be the heir to his realm."

"Than who adopted you, for I know that Poseidon didn't adopted you for he already had a heir to his kingdom."

"It was Hades, he adopted me for more than that one reason. He watched Steve and myself growing up and thought of us as his children. However Steve was in the ice when he adopted me, he did ask me for permission before he adopted me as well as Demeter. I said yes."

"Does your real father mind this?"

"No, he is rather glad I accepted and hopes that Steve would accept one day. Hades is waiting to do that because he wants Steve to be readjusted to this world and be trained with his born abilities before adopts him. However I would still be the heir even if Steve accepts." It was than that Emily notice that Loki catch an arrow and the arrow exploded tossing Loki inside Stark Tower. At that moment that Natasha spoke over the ear piece that was in their uniforms or ears, depending on who it was.

"I can close it. Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down."

"Do it!"

"No wait!"

"Stark, these things are still coming!"

"I got a nuke coming in. It's going to blow in less than a minute, and I know just where to put it."

"Stark, you know that's a one way trip?" It seems that Tony cut off from the rest of them as he headed to the portal with the nuke. Tony went inside the portal and the army in the portal started to blow up, Steve told Natasha to close it. Of which she did do, at the last minute that Tony came though the portal, but he didn't slow down. Thor started using his hammer while the hulk jumped up and grabbed him before getting back down and letting go of Tony. Steve was the one that ripped open the mask, Emily, Arabella and the other four went over to where they were. Tony has his eyes closed, Emily noticed that his life aura was just barely flicking, everyone lowered their heads. Tony was struggling between life and death, than the hulk roared, suddenly his life aura flared up. Tony took a gasp of air and he spoke making everyone look at Tony with relief.

"What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me." Steve sighed and let out a breath of air as he spoke.

"We won."

"Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it." Tony moved his arms around as he spoke.

"We still have one more thing to do." Thor looked at the tower, Tony merely nodded, Emily and Gabe helped Tony up. It was than that Tony and Thor seem to realize that the others that were there that they didn't know.

"Who are you five?" Arabella spoke first.

"I am Arabella, daughter of Hades and Emily's half sister." It was Gabe who answered for the other four.

"We are the howling commandos. It was only the four of us that had come here." Emily than spoke.

"What about the rest of the howling commandos?"

"Different parts of the world, half of them are in the campsite, the main base for the howling commandos, while the rest are trying to protect most people from threats around the world. But we didn't always managed to get there in time, at times some people best us to it." Tony merely smiled, Emily knows that Tony been dealing with the ten rings, it was hard not miss things when she does what she been doing for the last sixty seven years. But there was only a few things that manage to keep out of her sight and hearing for the most part. There was some things that the dead told her about the world of the living when she wasn't up here listening to it herself. All of them went to the tower and meet up with Natasha and Clint of who both looked at Gabe, Lauren, Dum Dum, and Jim with funny looks but thye didn't look at Arabella funny. When Loki got out of the hole and looked at them that he ask if he could have that drink.

The next day that they all went to Central Park and said farewell to Thor before he left with Loki so that Loki can face Odin's judgement. They all said farewell to each other before going their different ways, however Lauren and went with Steve to face the world and help him to adjust. She left Gabe in charge of the howling commandos while she was away, Gabe, Jim and Dum Dum went back to the howling commandos. Tony and Bruce went to Stark tower, Barton and Natasha had went back to S.H.I.E.L.D. while Emily went to the underworld and Arabella went back to Hogwarts.

Nick Fury's pov

Nick was standing in front of the world security council, none of them looked to happy with what he told them and what they heard on the news. Nick really didn't care all that much of how they think any more since they made some stupid decisions in the last couple of years, more so in the last few days. His least favorites were scrapping the avengers project and using the Tesseract as phrase two. But he never told them those facts though, however his least favorite idea was when they tried to blow up Manhattan with that missile the day before.

"Where are the Avengers?"

"I'm not currently tracking their whereabouts. I'd say they've earned a leave of absence."

"And the Tesseract?"

"The Tesseract is where it belongs: out of our reach."

"That's not your call."

"I didn't make it. I just didn't argue with the demigod and god that did."

"So you let him take it and the war criminal, Loki, who should be answering for his crimes?"

"Oh, I think he will be."

"I don't think you understand what you've started. Letting the Avengers loose on this world. They're dangerous."

"They surely are. And the whole world knows it. Every world knows it."

"Was that the point of all this? A statement?"

"A promise." With that the monitors were turned off and he walked out of the room and he walked to the main room. When he reached the main room that he walked to the windows and looked out to the sky in front of him. One of the agents had told him that they checked up on Phil and he was totally healed but it may take a few day for Phil to wake up from that coma. Nick figured on that, for he was sure Apollo would want to make sure everything was healed before Phil wakes up. As he stood there that he heard someone walking towards him, he guessed that it was Agent Hill.

"Sir, how does it work now? They've gone their separate ways, some pretty extremely far. We get into a situation like this again, what happens then?"

"They'll come back."

"You really sure about that?"

"I am."

"Why?"

"Because we'll need them to." When he said that, that he could hear Agent Hill walking away from him.


	6. Chapter 6

The weeks that followed the battle of Manhattan that Emily was kept busy due to the few that managed to die in the battle. Of which were not as many as Emily thought there would be, but with the back up in the record studios and the recent battle didn't help in the underworld. Since it was crowed enough down there as it was. Emily stayed in her daughter of hades appearance since that was how all the spirits knew who she was with that appearance. Since she case back to the underworld that she was looking for Minos, partly because of Nico and partly because of what she heard from Arabella from what she learned when she talked to Nico last. Emit was aware of Nico and knew where he has been for the last seventy years, though Emily wasn't sure of how aware Arabella was of where Nico had been. Plus it seems that Minos been vanishing a lot, Emily asked Hades of why Minos was picked to be a judge. Hades told her that Minos was the best choice at the time but he been unable to find a good replacement for him. Hades has a couple,of ideas of who to replace Minos and told her when Minos gets back that he would replace Minos.

Emily has a feeling that Minos was trying to get to Daedalus and Emily brought this up to Hades of which he agreed with her. He also told her that he fears that Minos might be twisting Nico's mind or someone else who could bring back the dead. So Hades asked her to go find Daedalus as well as find Nico, Emily agreed to do this and the best way to find them was using the labyrinth. She could use Mrs. O'Leary but Mrs. O'Leary didn't know Nico though and wouldn't be able to pick up his scent, maybe. Emily kept her promise to Daedalus about Mrs. O'Leary. It helped Emily when she was adopted by a hades to take care of Mrs. O'Leary, since hellhounds were under the control of Hades. Mrs. O'Leary was one of the few companions she has in the underworld besides Arabella and Fluffy among a couple of others. Emily and Hades made sure that Mrs. O'Leary was comfortable when she was down in the underworld. So they made this huge area for Mrs. O'Leary that has a roof over it that allowed the sun to come in. To the mortals it was just the ground with dirt, that was due to making a diamond roof and the mist. Though Mrs. O'Leary liked the area around Emily's cabin better than her little area in the underworld.

After being in the underworld for so long that she could understood of why Hades would act the way he does as well doing what he did to Persephone all those years ago. It was clear that Hades does love Persephone and Persephone, at least respects him and most likely loves him. Emily wasn't sure on that but Persephone was glad of having a not her daughter of Demeter around when Hades adopted her. It helped Hades and Persephone when Emily accepted that offer since it seem to make the underworld less gloomy. Just like when Arabella was brought down here, that she made it even less gloomy than before. So Emily could never blame a hades for kidnapping Persephone all those years ago. But Emily needed to find Nico and Daedalus, however Emily knew Arabella was not in the palace before Emily left because Emily went to find her to tell what she was going to do but couldn't find her. Emily hoped that Arabella didn't do something that she would regret like going into the labyrinth. Emily was at the entrance of the labyrinth in the underworld, she took the necklace off and swished it so it changed into her Stygian iron sword.

She needed to find Nico as well as Daedalus to warn them both and maybe figure out if Arabella was here. Emily hoped not, even though Arabella could handle herself there was still things that Arabella need to improve on. When Emily entered the passageway that the door closed behind her, Emily looked around and started towards one direction hoping it would lead her to Nico or the workshop. But she made wrong turns, for she find spikes coming at her or the walls were closing in on her. Emily wasn't too worried about Minos, she was more worried do what he may do to Nico or Arabella if he was twisted either one of their minds to go back to the world of the living. For Emily could overpower him and use her status as daughter of Hades and the underworld princess on Minos and Arabella could do the same thing. Emily thought of using her powers but from what Daedalus told her that it would be a bad idea, for she could get more lost this she was already. Than Emily heard a hissing sound form behind her and she turned around.

"Well, what have we here, a daughter of Hades. You would make a nice addition to the army." Emily gripped her sword tighter, Emily was aware of the fact that Kronos was rising as well as raising an army with demigod and monsters. But there was no way that she was going to join Kronos.

"Like I would join Kronos."

"We shall see if you changed your mind. Let's take her to the arena." Emily put up a fight before they managed to get her sword. Than she marched her to a set of ten feet doors with crossed swords, there were other monsters standing there along with three prisoners. Emily looked at the three, Emily knew who two of the three prisoners, a couple of years ago that Emily had saw them in the underworld but they didn't see her since she was in the shadows the whole time. Hades didn't want them to know about Emily or the fact that he had a daughter over the age of twenty. It was Annabeth Chase, a daughter of Athena and Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, they both were looking at her with a puzzled look in their face. The third was a girl, just looking at the girl told Emily enough to know that this girl was different but not different in the sense of demigods. Emily remembered a demigod dream that this girl was in and she had mortal parents in the dream.

Before any of them could say anything that the doors opened to reveal an arena, it wasn't as long or as big as ones that Emily seen when she went to Greece not long of which was after she was adopted by Hades. But the arena was big for one that was underground instead above ground, there were skulls around the arena at the moment there was a giant fighting with a centaur. Emily wanted to help the centaur but with the monsters from behind them watching that Emily knows it was no good. The giant had than killed the centaur and raised the hoof in triumph and left with holding the hoof up. Emily wanted to throw up and curse Kronos for this, but Kronos wasn't there as far as Emily could see. But Emily knows he doesn't have a body or at least not yet, she couldn't think of what could happen if Kronos rise again. However Emily knew the one giant next to a blond hair male in the stands, it was Antaeus, son of Poseidon and Gaea. He had raised his hand and the arena went silent.

"Good entertainment! But nothing I haven't seen before. What else do you have, Luke, Son of Hermes?" Luke's, apparently was his name, jaw tightened at the words of son of Hermes, it was clear that Luke didn't like his father. But he rose to his feet calmly though, his eyes were glittering, he also looked in a good mood. When he spoke that he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Lord Antaeus, you have been an excellent host! We would be happy to amuse you, to repay the favor of passing through your territory."

"A favor I have not yet granted, I want entertainment!" Luke had than bowed.

"I believe I have something better than centaurs to fight in your arena now. I have a brother of yours." Luke pointed at Percy. "Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon." The crowd started to jeer at Percy and throw stones at him but one managed to cut his cheek. Antaeus's eyes lit up upon hearing Percy being called a son of Poseidon,

"A son of Poseidon? Then he should fight well! Or die well!"

"If his death pleases you, will you let our armies cross your territory?"

"Perhaps!" Luke didn't looked to pleased about the word perhaps, he was glaring down at Percy like he better die in a spectacular way,

"Luke! Stop this. Let us go!" Luke seem to notice Annabeth for the first time, he looked stunned for a moment.

"Annabeth?"

"Enough time for the females to fight afterward. First, Percy Jackson, what weapons will you choose?" One of the dracaenae pushed Percy into the middle of the arena. Percy had stared up at Antaeus.

"How can you be a son of Poseidon?"

"I am his favorite son! Behold, my temple to the Earthshaker, built from the skulls of all those I've killed in his name! Your skull shall join them!"

"Percy! His mother is Gaea! Gae - " The monster that was holding Annabeth put his hand over her mouth. Emily remained where she was standing, she didn't say anything for it may not do any good.

"You're crazy, Antaeus. If you think this is a good tribute, you know nothing about Poseidon." The crowd started to scream insults at Percy but Antaeus raised his hand for silence.

"Weapons. And then we will see how you die. Will you have axes? Shields? Nets? Flamethrowers?"

"Just my sword." Laughter erupted from the monsters and than a sword appeared in his hands and Emily knew the weapon, it was riptide an old Greek weapon. Emily wondered of how Percy got a hold of that weapon. But silence followed when Riptide appeared in Percy's hand. However it was at that moment that one of the monsters whispered something to Luke and he looked over at Emily and he looked a little surprised. Than Luke spoke once more.

"Lord Antaeus, if I may. It appears that they captured a third demigod. One that was a made up story from World War II or so we thought. If it pleases you that she will join Percy in fighting." Antaeus looked at Annabeth, the one girl before he looked Emily.

"Which one might it be?"

"Rachel Blackthrone, daughter of Hades, heir to the underworld." The other dracaenae pushed Emily into the middle of the arena to join Percy. Percy looked at her in surprise, it was clear that he didn't expect to find a daughter of Hades in the Labyrinth. Before she was pushed into the middle that she was giving back her necklace of which was back around her neck.

"Well what a nice surprise, not only will I be watching Percy fighting that I would be watching Rachel fighting. What about your weapon."

"I will also have my sword." Emily took off her necklace and swish it had become a Stygian iron sword, there was a gasp from the crowd.

"Round one." The gate at the other end opened and two dracaenae came out, they had nets and tridents. It didn't take too much for Percy and Emily to kill them. Emily hardly paid much attention to Percy fighting but she cut the net in half of which surprised the dracaenae and knocked the trident out of her hand before cutting her in half turning her to dust.

"No! Too fast! You must wait for the kill. Only I give that order!" Emily looked at Antaeus, wondering how he could be a son of Poseidon and be so stupid at the same time. She would admit that Percy was not child of Athena but he was not as stupid as he sometimes appeared to be form the stories she heard of him so far. Emily spoke.

"I thought it was my order to give when it is time for the kill. For I am the underworld princess." Antaeus didn't look very happy when Emily said that. But Luke spoke before Antaeus spoke to her,

"Nice job, Percy. You've gotten better with the sword. I'll grant you that."

"Round two! And slower this time! More entertainment! Wait for my call before killing anybody. OR ELSE!" It seemed that Antaeus decided to pay no heed to what Emily said that. Once again the gates open and two warriors had come out, one was a male that looked about sixteen. The male has glossy black hair, his left eye was covered with an eye patch and he was thin and wiry. Because of that, that his Greek armor hung loosely on him, he stabbed his sword into the dirt and he readjust a couple of things before putting his helmet on and picking up his sword once more. However the other one was a girl of no more than twelve years old. She was thin and small as well, she has red hair that could rival Natasha's red hair and brown eyes. She wore similar things as the boy but she didn't need to adjust her armor or shield, the girl reminded Emily of how Steve once looked as well as Arabella. For Arabella looked about how the girl was expect for Arabella has pale skin and different color eyes and the girl was just as small, thin and fragile as Steve was.

"Who are you two?"

"Ethan Nakamura, I have to kill you."

"I am Hannah James." She looked at Emily a little scared, Emily didn't blame her, it was a little more fair with Ethan and Percy since there about the same height and build as well as most likely have similar training. But Emily had the advantage over this little girl in more ways than one, size was among the advantage that Emily has. Honestly Emily was small herself or at least compared to Steve or even Thor as well as most men in the howling commandos and at camp or when she was at camp. The only men at camp that had been smaller this her were the sons of Hermes and Aphrodite, for the most part. But standing in front of this girl made Emily realized that she wasn't as small as she thought she was. Emily stood at the same height as Lauren, 5'7" and thinking of it that is a little tall for a woman. "I have to kill you." Emily didn't say anything, it was clear that the twelve year old didn't want to do this at all.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Hey! Stop talking and fight already!"

"I have to prove myself. Only way to join up." Ethan started attacking Percy of who defend himself, Hannah backed away. Ethan's sword was close of hitting her but Emily grabbed her and pulled Hannah away just in time. Emily had pulled her away from the middle of the arena and Hannah was clinging onto her like a child would do with their mother when they were scared or frighten. Emily held Hannah close to herself, Ethan and Percy kept fighting for another five minutes before Ethan made a mistake and Percy took advantage of that. Antaeus gave the signal to kill Ethan, Emily figured that Percy wouldn't kill him for what she heard about Percy that he wasn't the kind that killed demigods willingly.

"Get it over with." Percy looked up at Antaeus, it was clear that he was displeasure with the young girl that was clinging onto Emily but he was even more displeasured with Percy when he put thumbs down,

"Forget it." Percy than put away his sword.

"Don't be a fool. They'll just kill us both." Percy offered his hand and Ethan took it reluctantly, Percy helped him up.

"No one dishonors the games! Your heads shall both be tributes to Poseidon!" It seemed that Antaeus was no longer paying any attention to Emily or Hannah for the time being, since he was focusing more Percy and Ethan. Percy than said something to Ethan before turning to Antaeus.

"Why don't you fight me yourself? If you've got Dad's favor, come down here and prove it!" Emily took a sharp intake of breath when Percy said that. The monsters grumbled in the stands, Emily knew that Antaeus would accept this since there was too many monsters to deny this for he would look like a coward if he refused.

"I am the greatest wrestler in the world, boy, I have been wrestling since the first pankration!"

"Pankration?" Emily spoke before anyone else could, being the underworld princess that she picked a few things. That was partly due to the died as well as having spare time between missions.

"He means fighting to the death. No rules. No holds barred. It used to be an Olympic sport."

"Thanks for the tip."

"Don't mention it." Percy pointed his sword at Antaeus before he spoke.

"Winner takes all! I win, we all go free. You win, we die. Swear upon the River Styx."

"This shouldn't take long. I swear to your terms!" Antaeus leaped off the railing and into the arena.

"Good luck, You'll need it." Ethan backed up quickly, Emily and Hannah remained where they were. Emily was worried about Percy, for Antaeus wasn't easy to defeat since his mother was Gaea. Emily watched as Percy tried to kill Antaeus but it was no use on the ground. But Percy managed to get Antaeus up in the air dangling in the chains above, Percy managed to use the chains to have Antaeus tangled up in the air. Than Percy stabbed Antaeus in his stomach and Antaeus dissolved since Gaea couldn't heal him because he was in the sky. Emily sighed with relief, she felt Hannah look up at where Antaeus had been.

"Jackson! I should have killed you long ago!"

"You tired. Let us go, Luke. We had a sworn agreement with Antaeus. I'm the winner."

"Antaeus is dead. His oath dies with him. But since I'm feeling merciful today, I'll have you killed quickly." Luke pointed at Annabeth and Emily before he went on. "Spare the two girls. I would speak to them before - before our great triumph." All the monsters in the audience drew a weapon or extended their claws, they were trapped. Emily knew what she has to do, before Emily could whistle for Mrs. O'Leary that Percy had took out a whistle and blew. No sound came out of the whistle though, so that that whistle was a dog whistle not the one used for sports.

"What was that supposed to do?" Suddenly there was a surprised yelp, the giant that was guarding Annabeth flew past Percy and smashed into the wall a few feet form where Emily and Hannah were.

"AROOOOF." One of the empousa screamed as slightly smaller hellhound picked her up like a chew toy and tossed her through the air right into Luke's lap. The hellhound snarled, two dracaenae had backed away from the hellhound, the monsters were taking by surprised.

"Let's go! Heel, Thron!"

"The far exit! That's the right way!" Emily followed them and Hannah was holding onto her hand as they raced across the arena and out the far exit. The monsters were jumping out of the stands to follow them.


	7. Chapter 7

"This way!" Emily figured that it was clear that this girl was a clear sighted mortal, otherwise she wouldn't be able to direct them though the Labyrinth. There was only three ways to navigate the labyrinth, one to use a clear sighted mortal, two use the string, third if you are Daedalus or have him with you. Also another clear thing was that Annabeth didn't like the red headed girl.

"Why should we follow you? You led us straight into that death trap!"

"It was the way you needed to go. And so is this. Come on!" Annabeth didn't look to happy about what Rachel said that not Emily could blame her. However it was Emily's own fault that she managed to get herself trapped by the monsters in the first place, but Emily knew that there certain places that one has to go though in order to get to the workshop unless, once again, that you are Daedalus. All of them kept running along, they kept going around corners and yelled duck at one point of which they did. A huge axe had swung over their heads before they went on, they didn't stop till they reached a room that was a size of a gymnasium. There was no sound of pursuit, so the army was lost somewhere in the labyrinth. Not only that but the hellhound was gone as well, Emily knew that the hellhound was safe, it was like a sixth sense in a way. Though she had no idea of where the hellhound went to, Ethan collapsed on the floor.

"You people are crazy." Ethan pulled off his helmet and his face was gleamed with swear.

"I remember you! You were one of the undetermined kids in the Hermes cabin, years ago."

"Yeah, and you're Annabeth. I remember."

"What - what happened to your eye?" Ethan looked away from them, Emily could tell it was something that he didn't want to talk about. Percy than spoke.

"You must be the half-blood from my dream. The one Luke's people cornered. It wasn't Nico after all."

"Who's Nico?"

"Never mind. Why were you trying to join up with the wrong side?" Ethan sneered when Percy said that.

"There's no right side. The gods never cared about us. Why shouldn't I - "

"Sign up with an army that makes you fight to the death for entertainment? Gee, I wonder." Ethan was struggling to get to his feet and Hannah was clinging onto Emily.

"I'm not going to argue with you. Thanks for the help, but I'm out of here."

"We're going after Daedalus, come with us. Once we get through, you'd be welcome back at camp."

"You really are crazy if you think Daedalus will help you."

"He has to. We'll make him listen." Ethan snorted.

"Yeah, well. Good luck with that." Emily grabbed his arm before Ethan could move away from them. He looked somewhat scared when she did for he could feel of how strong she was, but there was anger in his one eye, Emily knew most of the fear came from her aura for she was allowing her death and fear aura show itself. Not many people would be able to tell she was a daughter of Hades unless if someone knows or were told. Emily noticed the frayed around the edges of the eye patch and the black cloth was faded, like he has been wearing it for a long time.

"How would you even know Daedalus would even listen. What makes you think he won't listen? Have you ever meet him?"

"No, but I heard enough to know he won't listen." Emily let go of his arm but Percy grabbed Ethan's arm.

"You're just going to head off alone into the maze? That's suicide." Ethan looked Percy with barely controlled anger.

"You shouldn't have spared me, Jackson. Mercy has no place in this war." Ethan manage to get out of Percy's grip and he ran off into the darkness back the way they came. They all were exhausted or at least Percy, Annabeth, Hannah, and the red headed girl were. Emily wasn't really all that tired she knows it came from her time in World War II and her time since than. She doesn't get as wore out as she would have back in World War II. Percy managed to find some scrap wood and started a fire.

"Something was wrong with Luke. Did you notice the way he was acting?" Annabeth was using her knife to poke at the fire while Emily was trying to calm down Hannah. Emily kept her arms around her cooing softly, Emily could tell Hannah was close of felling asleep at the moment.

"He looked pretty pleased to me. Like he'd spent a nice day torturing heroes."

"That's not true! There was something wrong with him. He looked...nervous. He told his monsters to spare me. He wanted to tell me something."

"Probably, 'Hi, Annabeth! Sit here with me and watch while I tear your friends apart. It'll be fun!'"

"You're impossible." Annabeth sheathed her dagger before looking at Rachel grumbled. "So which way now, Sacagawea?" Emily was watching the two girls interact with each other, Rachel didn't respond right away. It was clear that both Annabeth and Rachel like Percy, or at least to Emily. For Hannah was too young to understand Annabeth and Rachel's interaction, Hannah might have a basic idea but she wouldn't understood all of it. Emily noticed that Annabeth didn't say anything about Luke bringing up sparing Emily to Percy, there was a chance Annabeth didn't care about that. Emily knew what like wanted, he wanted them to join Kronos's side, there was no way Emily was going to join Kronos. In that way she was like Steve, that she doesn't like bullies and Kronos was one of the biggest bullies ever. Rachel was drawing monsters on the floor, it reminded Emily of Steve when he was drawing in his drawing book.

"We'll follow the path. The brightness on the floor."

"The brightness that led us straight into a trap?"

"Lay off her, Annabeth. She's doing the best she can." Annabeth stood up.

"The fire's getting low. I'll go look for some more scraps while you guys talk strategy." Annabeth had marched off into the shadows, Rachel kept drawing on the floor. After a while that Hannah finally fell asleep.

"Annabeth's usually not like this! I don't know what her problem is."

"Are you sure you don't know?" Emily stopped herself from laughing when Rachel said that,,she knows Percy wouldn't understood what was wrong with Annabeth.

"What do you mean?"

"Boys. Totally blind." Emily giggled and spoke.

"I know, right. Even in the 1940s that they were blind. My brother Steve was like that, however he didn't know much about women even with a twin sister." Rachel smiled when Emily said that.

"I know, I think the boys need some sort of mind reader when it comes to girls."

"Hey, don't you two get on my case, too! Look, I'm sorry I got you involved in this." Emily was close of laughing when Percy said the first part, Emily didn't say anything out of fear of bursting into fits of uncontrollable laughter. For this reminded her too much when Lauren and saw Steve kissing with the one blond girl. It was something that Bucky and Emily were making fun of Steve as a result afterwards, but Rachel went on talking with Percy.

"No, you were right. I can see the path. I can't explain it, but it's really clear." The girl pointed toward the other end of the room that they were and into the darkness. "The workshop is that way. The heart of the maze. We're very close now. I don't know why the path led through that arena. I - I'm sorry about that. I thought you were going to die." The girl sounded like she was close to crying.

"Hey, I'm usually about to die. Don't feel bad."

"So you do this every summer? Fight monsters? Save the world? Don't you ever get to do just, you know, normal stuff?"

"Half-bloods get used to it, I guess. Or maybe not used to it, but..." Emily spoke.

"Let me answer that more properly, what is your name? I assume it is Rachel isn't it?"

"Yes, it's Rachel, the same as yours." Emily merely nodded but didn't bother to comment that Rachel wasn't her real name.

"Well, halfbloods are almost always fighting monsters, it's a common thing for Halfblood like Percy and me to fight monsters a lot. It doesn't matter what season it is. But we do normal stuff, it's just that we have a difficult life compared to your." Rachel nodded and Percy seem relieved than he spoke.

"What about you? What do you do normally?"

"I paint or draw. I read a lot. I help demigods get to camp, sometime is enter the camp but you are not usually there. But most of the time I am up in the underworld helping my father." Emily leaned against the wall and allowed Rachel and Percy to talk without her saying much of anything.

"What about your family?" When Percy said that, that Emily could tell, even without the mental shield going up, that the subject was something that Rachel tries to avoid. Being the champion of Hestia that Emily was able to tell of what kind of relationship exist in families. Emily could tell that Rachel didn't think of her family as her family or not really.

"Oh...they're just, you know, family."

"You said they wouldn't notice if you were gone." Rachel put down her drawing stick.

"Wow, I'm really tired. I may sleep for a while, okay?"

"Oh, sure. Sorry if..." Rachel was already curly up using her backpack as a pillow and her eyes were closed. Emily knew that Rachel wasn't really asleep, she just didn't want to talk about her family.

"Percy." He looked over at her. "Try not to ask her about her family."

"You sound like you know her."

"I don't but I am the champion of Hestia. She is the goddess of the home, family and hearth and I can tell that she doesn't have a very good relationship with her parents." Percy merely nodded when Emily had said that. A few minutes later that Annabeth came back and tossed some more sticks on the fire. Annabeth looked at Rachel than at Percy, she didn't even bother to look at Emily or Hannah.

"I'll take first watch. You should sleep, too."

"You don't have to act like that."

"Like what?"

"Like...never mind." Percy laid down and Annabeth looked over at Emily, she looked like she was about ready to say something similar to Emily as she did with Percy when Emily beat her to it.

"I will take the first watch. Don't argue with me."

"I am a daughter of Athena ... "

"I am aware of this fact, Annabeth. I have meet children of Athena before and they are among the best warriors along with the children of the big three and children of Ares. But I have been on this earth for about eight nine years, maybe ninety years, now and I had fought in World War II as well as a few other wars. I am capable of taking the first watch or even for the whole time. I am not really sleepy and I would still be awake none the less." Annabeth sighed in defeat and laid down to fall asleep, when she could hear the steady breaths of all the questers that Emily looked down to where Rachel pointed. Emily remembers the last time Emily saw Daedalus.

"Colonel Phillips, the war is not over with yet." Colonel Phillips turned and looked over at her.

"It is for me, Emily. I only promised to stay in the war till the nazis surrender or I am killed, the nazis had surrender."

"But Japan hasn't yet."

"Japan wasn't in the war when the war started."

"Neither was the US."

"True."

"So you are just going to leave just like that! What about Mrs. O'Leary?"

"She belongs to you now." Colonel Phillips took one step towards the entrance before he turned around and looked at her. "I know this seems cowardly to you or even unwise. I only come out due to the fact that I felt it was my duty to do so. Honestly, my prison is my only safe place."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"I am not sure if I can explain it to you fully. I am not even if I can say it. But I am sorry, sorry for leaving like this and sorry for everything that has happened to you. The things I did even before this war. One day I will make it up for everything I did, but now is not the time. I hope we will meet again before either one of us dies. I hope that one day that I will make it up by helping the demigods" He took another few steps and the door of the labyrinth closed between Emily and Colonel Phillips, Mrs. O'Leary howled at the lost of her first owner.


	8. Chapter 8

Emily remained where she was for the next few hours till the room started to rumble, Emily knew that something was happening but she wasn't sure what was. It could be countless things, this room was old so it could be the room itself, it was an earthquake or something else entirely. Emily woke up Hannah first, Hannah went to wake Annabeth up while Emily woke up Rachel. Percy was the last one to wake up in their group, the five of them ran for where the blue light was. When they reached to the far tunnel that a column next to them groaned and buckled, they kept moving as hundred tons of marble crashed down behind them. They made to to the corridor and the turned just in time to see the other columns that were in the room, go toppling. Emily knows that they would need to move to make sure nothing else happens, a cloud of white dust billowed over them and they resumed running.

"You know what? I like this way after all." It wasn't long before they saw light up ahead of which Emily found odd, since they had been in the dark for so long or what seem like a long time for Emily knows time was different down here in the labyrinth. Emily was sure it had been longer for Rachel, Annabeth and Percy than it has been for Emily.

"There." They followed Rachel into a stainless still hallway, Emily raised an eyebrow at this, it was strange that there was stainless steel down here in the labyrinth but than again anything was possible in the Greek world or close to it anyway. It looked like it could be a space station or something that HYDRA would come up with. Fluorescent lights were on the ceiling and the floor was a metal grate, of which reminded her too much of World War II, Emily didn't have to squint as much as Annabeth or Rachel or even Percy. All three of them looked pale in the harsh illumination, Emily looks pale but it was more of her appearance than the actual light. "This way. We're close!"

"This is so wrong! The workshop should be in the oldest section of the maze. This can't - " Annabeth faltered for they had arrived at a set of metal double doors, inscribed in the steel was a large blue Greek delta.

"We're here, Daedalus's workshop." Annabeth pressed the symbol on the doors and the doors hissed open as soon as Annabeth touched them.

"So much for ancient architecture." Annabeth scowled when Percy said that, Emily smiled, true children of Athena like architecture and build it. But Emily knows Daedalus well enough to know he likes being kept up to date on everything or most things. They walked into the room, the first thing that Emily notice was the daylight, the sun was coming though giant windows. Emily smiled lightly at the sun that was coming though the windows, only Daedalus would managed to put windows in his workshop and somehow managed to bring in the sunlight. The workshop looked the same as the last time she saw it, it looked like an artist studio with thirty feet ceilings and industrial lighting. There was stone floors, there was also workbenches along the windows of the studio, there was a spiral staircase that led up to a second story loft of which was the bedroom. Emily was sure of that, for there was no where else that he could sleep in this studio than the loft. There easels with hand drawn diagrams for buildings and machines, there was laptops scattered across the tables, there was Greek fire on one shelf and so much more.

"Di immortals," Annabeth ran to the nearest easel and looked at the sketch on the easel. The sketch, on the easel, wasn't there the last time Emily been there, so Emily figured that Daedalus drew that sketch since than. "He's a genius. Look at the curves on this building!"

"And an artist. These wings are amazing!" There was wings on one side of the workshop, they were more advance than the last time Emily been here when she made that promise to Daedalus about not revealing his identity and to take care of Mrs. O'Leary. Emily has her hands on her necklace just in case anything was waiting for them in the shadows. It didn't seem like Daedalus was at home, at the moment, but it was clear that he was here recently. Percy went to the window to look out, Emily knew where they were the garden of the gods.

"Where are we?" Emily was about ready to say something when a voice spoke from the loft.

"Colorado Springs, The Garden of the Gods." Emily looked up at the loft, on the loft was a man in his fifties, his hair was gray as well as his beard. He looked like he could be a sword master, he was wearing black mountain climbing pants, a camp half blood shirt and a bronze breast plate. Despite the gray hairs that there was hints of brown in his hair as well as his beard and his eyes were gray. He has a sword drawn out, despite the change that Emily knew at once of who it was, it was Colonel Phillips. But it was clear that Colonel Phillips went to the camp once more as for why he was there, Emily could only guess.

"You, What have you done with Daedalus?"

"Trust me, my dear. You don't want to meet him."

"Look, Mr. Traitor, I didn't fight a dragon woman and a three-bodied man and a psychotic Sphinx to see you. Now where is DAEDALUS?" Colonel Phillips walked down the stairs and it was only than that Emily noticed the boots and his sword went to his side.

"You think I'm an agent of Kronos. That I work for Luke."

"Well, duh."

"You're an intelligent girl. But you're wrong. I work for myself or when I am needed but that is mostly due to my past mistakes. The gods didn't even know I was helping them during those times." That was not the first time Emily ever heard that from Colonel Phillips.

"Luke mentioned you, Geryon knew about you, too. You've been to his ranch."

"Of course, I've been almost everywhere. Even here." Colonel Phillips walked past Percy and stood by the window.

"The view changes from day to day. It's always some place high up. Yesterday it was from a skyscraper overlooking Manhattan. The day before that, there was a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. But it keeps coming back to the Garden of the Gods. I think the Labyrinth likes it here. A fitting name, I suppose."

"You've been here before."

"Oh, yes."

"That's an illusion out there? A projection or something?"

"No, It's real. We're really in Colorado." Colonel Phillips looked over at Rachel.

"You have clear vision, don't you? you remind me of another mortal girl I once knew. Another princess who came to grief."

"Enough games, what have you done with Daedalus?" Colonel Phillips started at Percy when he said that before Colonel Phillips could say anything that Emily spoke.

"Percy, don't you get it?" Percy and Annabeth look at her confused but it was clear that Rachel knew what Emily meant by that question. For Rachel knew who he was just as much as Emily knows who he was. "He is Daedalus."

Emily was sure that there was a lot of things that Percy and Annabeth wanted to say to Colonel Phillips. Or maybe even things that they could say to him, Emily didn't say anything as everyone stood there. No one said anything to what Emily just said or at least not yet. When Emily said that Colonel Phillips was Daedalus that they looked at her with some surprise, even Colonel Phillips seem a little surprised that she knew that he was Daedalus. He was looking at her carefully, he walked away from the window before he walked over to her. Emily didn't move as he looked up and down at her than he spoke at last.

"Who are you?" Emily tilted her head when he said that.

"Who do you think I am?"

"At the very least, you are a daughter of Hades." Emily smiled when Colonel Phillips said that.

"I am Rachel Blackthrone, daughter of Hades, the underworld princess, heir to the underworld, and champion of Hestia." He didn't look too surprised when Emily said that but he raised an eyebrow when she said champion of Hestia.

"Champion of Hestia?"

"Yes." But than Percy spoke before Colonel Phillips could say or ask Emily anything else.

"But you're not an inventor! You're a swordsman!"

"I am both and an architect. And a scholar. I also play basketball pretty well for a guy who didn't start until he was two thousand years old. A real artist must be good at many things."

"That's true. Like I can paint with my feet as well as my hands."

"You see? A girl of many talents."

"But you don't even look like Daedalus, I saw him in a dream, and..." Emily smiled when Percy spoke before he faltered when the idea dawn on Percy, when Colonel Phillips told her about himself that Emily knew that he was an automaton, there was no other way to explain of why he lived this long unless if he was a god or an immortal.

"Yes. You've finally guessed the truth."

"You're an automaton. You made yourself a new body."

"Percy, that's not possible. That - that can't be an automaton."

"Do you know what Quintus means, my dear?"

"The fifth, in Latin. But - "

"This is my fifth body." He held out his forearm and he pressed his elbow. Part of his wrist had popped open, a rectangular hatch in his skin and there was bronze gears whirred and wires glowing.

"That's amazing!"

"That's weird."

"You found a way to transfer your animus into a machine? That's...not natural."

"Oh, I assure you, my dear, it's still me. I'm still very much Daedalus. Our mother, Athena, makes sure I never forget that." He tugged back the collar of his shirt to reveal a mark in a dark shape of a bird.

"A murderer's brand."

"For your nephew, Perdix. The boy you pushed off the tower."

"I did not push him. I simply - "

"Made him lose his balance. Let him die." Emily knew that must be one of his past mistakes that he tried to make up in World War II. Colonel Phillips had looked out the windows at the purple mountains.

"I regret what I did, Percy. I was angry and bitter. But I cannot take it back, and Athena never lets me forget. As Perdix died, she turned him into a small bird - a partridge. She branded the bird's shape on my neck as a reminder. No matter what body I take, the brand appears on my skin."

"You really are Daedalus. But why did you come to the camp? Why spy on us?"

"To see if your camp was worth saving. Luke given me one story. I preferred to come to my own conclusions."

"So you have talked to Luke."

"Oh, yes. Several times. He is quite persuasive."

"But now you've seen the camp! So you know we need your help. You can't let Luke through the maze!" Colonel Phillips set his sword on the workbench.

"The maze is no longer mine to control, Annabeth. I created it, yes. In fact, it is tied to my life force. But I have allowed it to live and grow on its own. That is the price I paid for privacy."

"Privacy from what?"

"The gods. And death. I have been alive for two millennia, my dear, hiding from death."

"But how can you hide from Hades? I mean...Hades has the Furies. Not only that he has her to help him." Percy pointed at Emily when he said that.

"They do not know everything. Or see everything. You have encountered them, Percy. You know this is true. Even I was out of their sight and they couldn't find me. A clever man can hide quite a long time, and I have buried myself very deep. Only my greatest enemy has kept after me, and even him I have thwarted."

"You mean Minos."

"He hunts for me relentlessly. Now that he is a judge of the dead, he would like nothing better than for me to come before him so he can punish me for my crimes. After the daughters of Cocalus killed him, Minos's ghost began torturing me in my dreams. He promised that he would hunt me down. I did the only thing I could. I retreated from the world completely. I descended into my Labyrinth. I decided this would be my ultimate accomplishment: I would cheat death."

"And you did, for two thousand years." Annabeth sounded impressed.

Just then a loud bark echoed from the corridor. Emily heard heard the sounds of huge paws and Thron bounded into the workshop. He licked Percy's face once before he almost knocked Colonel Phillips over with an enthusiastic leap.

"There is my old friend!" Colonel Phillips scratched Thron behind the ears. "My only companion all these long lonely years."

"You let him save me. That whistle actually worked."

"Of course it did, Percy. You have a good heart. And I knew Thron liked you. I wanted to help you. Perhaps I - I felt guilty, as well."

"Guilty about what?"

"That your quest would be in vain."

"What? But you can still help us. You have to! Give us Ariadne's string so Luke can't get it."

"Yes...the string. I told Luke that the eyes of a clear-sighted mortal are the best guide, but he did not trust me. He was so focused on the idea of a magic item. And the string works. It's not as accurate as your mortal friend here, perhaps. But good enough. Good enough."

"Where is it?" As Annabeth said that, that Emily felt something heavy in her pocket, she wanted to put her hand in her pocket but didn't dare to, not at the moment.

"It is not here, I made a machine of where I would be able to place into a pocket of someone I know. I already did that to prevent Luke from having the string but I fear that I was too late and it landed in his hands for the time being by accident. I tried to get it back but failed. The only reason it hadn't work was because the person is died or they are is in the labyrinth and I am afraid it is the former for I had forget that she died many years ago."

"That's your brilliant idea? You're going to let Luke destroy your camp, kill hundreds of demigods, and then attack Olympus? You're going to bring down the entire world so you can get what you want?"

"You didn't pay attention to everything, it landed in his hands by mistake."

"How could you let him have it."

"I was trying to help your cause over the guilt I felt with everything I did." It seemed like Annabeth was upset with over the fact that the string was in Luke's hands to hear every word Colonel Phillips said for she pushed over an easel and the drawings were scattered across the floor.

"I used to respect you. You were my hero! You - you built amazing things. You solved problems. Now...I don't know what you are. Children of Athena are supposed to be wise, not just clever. Maybe you are just a machine. You should have died two thousand years ago."

"You should go warn your camp. Now that Luke has the string - "

"Actually, Luke no longer the strong." Everyone looked at Emily when she said that. Emily put her hands into the inner pocket of her jacket and pulled out the string, Colonel Phillips looked shocked when she had pulled the string out.

"How did it go to you? I set it so that it only reach Emily Barnes." Emily was about ready to say something but Thron pricked up his ears.

"Someone's coming!" Emily managed to put the string away just in time as the doors of the workshop burst open and a male of no older than ten or eleven was pushed inside, his hands were chained. He was wearing black clothing and he had a skull ring on one of his fingers. His hair was black, it was shaggy and messy and hai eyes were dark. Unlike with his skin of which was so pale that it was white. Emily knew that it was Nico at once, but he was not the only one that was pushed in for Arabella was pushed in as well. Her hands were chained as well, Emily figured that Arabella went after Nico to stop him form doing something. Emily hoped that he wasn't doing anything that Minos told him to do. He was followed by an empousa and two Laistrygonians, they were followed by Minos. He looks almost solid, he was pale with a beard and cold eyes, there was tendrils of mist coiling off of his robes. He looked over at Colonel Phillips and Colonel Phillips has his jaws clenched.

"There you are, my old friend."

"Luke sends his compliments. He thought you might like to see your old employer Minos. Since we already have what we want from you, and we have other agreements to honor. Minos required something else from us, in order to turn over this fine young demigod. He'll be quite useful. And all Minos asked in return was your head, old man."

"Nico, Are you okay?"

"I - I'm sorry, Percy. Minos told me you were in danger. He convinced me to go back into the maze."

"You were trying to help us?"

"I was tricked. He tricked all of us." Emily looked at Arabella question with her expression, Arabella merely nodded to show that she was fine.

"Where's Luke? Why isn't he here?" The empousa smiled like if she was sharing a joke with him.

"Luke is...busy. He is preparing for the assault. But don't worry. We have more friends on the way. And in the meantime, I think I'll have a wonderful snack!" She changed into the demon form of which Emily never enjoyed looking at, for it was weird to look at.

"Percy, the wings. Do you think - "

"Get them, I'll try to buy you some time." When Percy said that, that all Chaos had exploded, Annabeth and Percy went for the empousa. The giants went to Colonel Phillips but Thron went to his defense as well as Emily while Rachel was getting the wings. Nico and Arabella were pushed to the ground, they were struggled with their chains and the spirit of Minos was wailing.

"Kill the inventor! Kill him!" Things were tossed around, among them was a glass of Greek fire and the green flames had started to spread quickly. "To me! Spirits of the dead!" Minos raised his ghostly hands and the air began to hum around him. Emily notice that Nico and Arabella managed to get out of the shackles and Nico got to his feet before Arabella. Nico spoke as Arabella got to her feet.

"No!"

"You do not control me, young fool. All this time, I have been controlling you! A soul for a soul, yes. But it is not your sister who will return from the dead. It is I, as soon as I slay the inventor!" Spirits began to appear around Minos and the forms began to multiplied, solidifying into Cretan soldiers.

"I am the son of Hades, Be gone!"

"You have no power over me. I am the lord of spirits! The ghost king!"

"No. I am." Nico stabbed his black blade into the floor, the sword cleaved though the stone like butter. Minos's form started to ripple,

"Never! I will not - " The ground rumbled, the windows cracked and shatter to pieces. Emily could smell the fresh air coming from the windows, a fissure opened in the stone floor of the workshop. Minos and all his spirits were sucked into the void but the fight was still going on, Emily was still fighting against the giants with Colonel Phillips. Emily could hear the others fighting.

"We have to help Daedalus!"

"What about Emily!" Emily smiled when Arabella said that, even without looking that she knew that the others were confused by what Arabella called Emily.

"No time. Too many coming!" Emily could tell that the others were putting wings on themselves because of the sounds of things being put on, than Percy yelled at them.

"Daedalus! Rachel! Come on!" Emily have a couple of cuts, one on her cheek, a couple on her arms and one on her leg. But she was still able to move around rather well, besides the cuts were healing themselves, part of the blessing of being the champion of Hestia.

"I won't leave Thron! Go!"

"I am staying here to help him." The others jumped out of the window, Arabella took one last look at Emily before she nodded telling Arabella to jump of which she did. Colonel Phillips and Emily fought though the monsters till the last one was cut off with Emily's sword by head. As it turned into gold dust that Emily spoke.

"Cut off one head ..."

"Two shall take it's place." Emily looked at Colonel Phillips when he said that, he looked slightly surprised that she said that than he finished it. He was looking at her with a confused look on his face.

"So want to find two more?"

"Who are you?" Emily smiled and spoke.

"An old friend that hasn't aged." Emily snapped her fingers, her tanned skin took the place of her pale skin, her wavy black hair became straight blond and her eyes became blue and a mischief gleam replaced the mad gleam in her eyes. Colonel Phillips smiled when her appearance changed, than he grabbed a laptop before Emily, Colonel Phillips and Thron got out of the workshop as it burned down behind them. As they ran out that Colonel Phillips spoke.

"Let's some find some HYDRA monsters to kick back to Tartarus or Germany."

"I am sure that there would be some at camp." They ran down the passageways to get to Camp Halfblood. As she ran with Colonel Phillips and Thron behind them that she felt like she was back at that final HYDRA base.


	9. Chapter 9

Emily and Colonel Phillips were running though the labyrinth and since they started running that Emily changed back to her daughter of Hades appearance. During their time down there that they came across Briares, he joined them in their quest to save the camp. Emily also called Mrs. O'Leary to them and they went though the labyrinth together. Emily has to admit that this must be the strangest sight that anyone would ever see even in the demigod world. For it wasn't often to see Briares, the last of his kind, two demigods and two hellhounds in a group. They reached the entrance to where the camp would be and to their surprise and horror that there were monster getting though the opening. They fought their way though the monsters crowded in the passageways that lead to the entrance to camp. Thron was the first one out than Colonel Phillips, than Mrs. O'Leary, than Emily and lastly Briares.

Briares throw a bunch of rocks at one of the monsters that Emily had read about in monster fighting classes while she was at camp, Kampe. It seemed like the battle might have been over after that if the one dracaenae hadn't spoke up telling them to slay them or Kronos will kill them. They moved forward and one managed to throw a blow to Chiron busy surprise to his back legs making him unable to walk for the time being. Than gold arrows come from the trees taking down the monsters and the howling commandos had come out of the trees along with Lauren and Steve. Emily looked over at Colonel Phillips of who looked surprised at the fact that the howling commandos were still alive. Emily merely smiled, however the army had turned to the howling commandos to attack them. Than it happened, Grover, the satyr Emily had meet a couple of times as Rachel Blackthrone, opened his mouth and the most horrible sound had come out of his mouth.

The monsters dropped their weapons and ran to the entrance of the labyrinth, Emily looked at Grover hardly believing it. He just caused panic, if it was Emily and Steve in a middle of a HYDRA base causing panic that was one thing. For one would expect panic when that was happening, but a satyr making that sound and the monsters fleeing was something that hardly ever happen. When the monsters fled back into the labyrinth that the only left of the battle was some fires and the cries of the wounded, Emily saw Percy helping Annabeth before she went over to Chiron to heal some of his wounds. Than Emily and Colonel Phillips went over to where the howling commandos were standing, the howling comma does looked surprised when they saw Colonel Phillips. Than Steve spoke to Colonel Phillips.

"I thought you were died."

"No, I have been in hiding." Steve looked over at Emily before he and spoke.

"Do you always have this appearance when you come here?" Lauren was about ready to say something but Emily spoke and all of them looked at her in surprise when she spoke.

"Yeah, I am usually in this appearance expect for the first couple of weeks that you were were awake." Lauren tilted her head and a confused look on her face.

"Emily?" Emily put her finger to her lips.

"Shh. But yes it is me, this is my daughter of hades appearance. In this appearance I go by Rachel Blackthrone." Lauren shook her head and smiled when Emily said that, the howling commandos just laughed. Out of the corner of her eye that she saw Percy going over to Nico and helping him up, Emily went over to where he was as well as Colonel Phillips, Steve and Lauren. Arabella was nearby helping Percy with helping Nico to sit up, Arabella and Percy barely managed to sit him up and gave Nico some more nectar by the time Emily, Steve, Lauren and colonel Phillips reached them. Nico noticed the four of them, than he managed to croaked.

"Daedalus."

"Yes, my boy, the machine made a mistake. I came to correct it." Colonel Phillips was bleeding golden oil, Steve was looking at the golden oil oddly and he looked a little confused as well. But Lauren was surprised than she spoke.

"You are Daedalus." Colonel Phillips looked over at Lauren when she said that.

"I am indeed, Lauren." At the moment Briares was surrounded by campers and he was signing armor and a few other things, he also looked bashful as he was signing the armor of the campers. Emily was sure that this was a change from the life he has for the last many years.

"Hang on, Lauren made it sound like that she had known you before?" Colonel Philips looked at Chiron before he spoke.

"She does know me. I only had come out one other time than when I come here for about the second or third time."

"You have been here before?"

"Yes, I come here once because one of my soldiers overused their powers like Nico just did." It was that made Chiron realize of who Colonel Phillips was or one of the other names that he went by.

"You are Colonel Chester Phillips." The demigods gasp slightly, all the demigods knew that Colonel Phillips was the commander over Captain America, Lieutenant USA and the howling commandos as week as being part of the SSF and later S.H.I.E.L.D. for a short amount of time before going back into hiding.

"That is one of the names I went by, yes." Than Colonel Phillips looked away from Chiron and he looked back at Nico. "I found the Hundred-Handed One as I went through the maze to get here. It seems that he had the same idea, to come help, but he was lost. And so we fell in together. We both came to make amends."

"Yay! Briares! I knew you would come!" It was a cyclops, Emily didn't expect to see a cyclops at camp, she expected them to be at the forges.

"I did not know, But you reminded me who I am, Cyclops. You are the hero." The cyclops blushed and Percy patted the cyclops on the back, Emily figured that they were half brothers.

"I knew that a long time ago. But, Daedalus...the Titan army is still down there. Even without the string, they'll be back. They'll find a way sooner or later, with Kronos leading them."

"You are right. As long as the Labyrinth is here, your enemies can use it. Which is why the Labyrinth cannot continue."

"But you said the Labyrinth is tied to your life force! As long as you're alive - "

"Yes, my young architect. When I die, the Labyrinth will die as well. And so I have a present for you." Colonel Phillips slung a leather satchel off of his back and unzipped it. Than he produced a sleek silver laptop, the same one that Colonel Pillips grabbed before Emily and Colonel Phillips left the workshop. On the lid of the laptop was the blue symbol delta, the same symbol that opened the labyrinth doors. "My work is here. It's all I managed to save from the fire. Notes on projects I never started. Some of my favorite designs. I couldn't develop these over the last few millennia. I did not dare reveal my work to the mortal world. But perhaps you will find it interesting." Annabeth was surprised and took the laptop form Colonel Phillips.

"You're giving me this? But this is priceless! This is worth...I don't even know how much!"

"Small compensation for the way I have acted as well as the things I have done. You were right, Annabeth, about children of Athena. We should be wise, and I was not. Someday you will be a greater architect than I ever was. Take my ideas and improve them. But there is only one other thing that I had saved." Than Colonel Phillips turned to Emily before he tossed the satchel to Emily. Emily caught the satchel before she looked at him confused. "Put it on your back." Emily shrugged before she put the satchel on her back. As soon as the satchel was on her back that the satchel changed form, the satchel wrapped itself around till it formed a more modern Lieutenant USA Uniform with a silver shield that had the drawings of the things she and Steve did in World War II. But it the same design as the original uniform has. Emily looked down at the uniform before looking back at Colonel Phillips.

"You have been really busy in sixty seven years."

"I have been busy. When you want to be the satchel again just put the shield on the back. When you need it just tug on the zipper." Than Annabeth spoke.

"That is the Lieutenant USA uniform and she is not Lieutenant USA" Emily smiled when Annabeth said that, snapped her fingers and Emily's appearance appearance changed back to her blond hair, blue eyes and tanned skin. The campers gasp as her appearance changed.

"I am Lieutenant USA." Annabeth was about ready to say something. But Colonel Phillips spoke.

"It is the least I can do for you both before I pass on."

"Whoa, Pass on? But you can't just kill yourself. That's wrong." Colonel Phillips shook his head when Percy said that. Emily knew what Colonel was talking about.

"Not as wrong as hiding from my crimes for two thousand years. Genius does not excuse evil, Percy. My time has come. I must face my punishment."

"You won't get a fair trial, the spirit of Minos sits in judgment - "

"I will take what comes. And trust in the justice of the Underworld, such as it is. That is all we can do, isn't it?" Colonel Phillips looked straight at Nico, his face darken.

"Yes."

"Will you take my soul for ransom, then? You could use it to reclaim your sister."

"No, I will help you release your spirit. But Bianca has passed. She must stay where she is." Colonel Phillips nodded.

"Well done, son of Hades. You are becoming wise." Than Colonel Phillips looked at Percy. "One last favor, Percy Jackson. Something I found myself repeating." He had looked at Emily and Emily smiled slightly, Mrs. O'Leary was wagging her tail. This he looked back at Percy. "I cannot leave Thron alone. And he has no desire to return to the Underworld. Will you care for him?"

"Yeah. Of course I will." Percy looked at Thron of who was licking Colonel Phillips's hair. As they spoke that Emily could sense that Hades was punishing Minos for trying to rise up from the died as well as replaced Minos as a judge of the died.

"Colonel Phillips." He turned and looked at Emily. "You need not worry about Minos judging you, Hades removed him from his position and sent him to the field of punishment for trying to rise again by trying tricking his son." Colonel Phillips smiled, Emily went over to him and hugged him. Colonel Phillips hugged her back as he hugged her that he whispered.

"You are like the daughter that I never had. Thank you for that." He let go of her, Emily stepped back and he looked at the howling commandos before he spoke. "I better not see any of you down there as spirits any time soon." He looked at Emily before going on. "You better come and visit me from time to time."

"Don't worry, I will. I will try to keep up to date on the world of the living when I can managed it." Colonel Phillips looked at the howling commandos once more before looking at Steve. "You better look out for you sister." Steve out one of his arms around he shoulders before he spoke.

"I will, she is my younger sister."

"By ten minutes."

"Of which makes me older." Colonel Phillips smiled slightly before he nodded, than turned back to Nico.

"Then I am ready to see my son...and Perdix, I must tell them how sorry I am." There tears in the howling commandos as well as Emily, Lauren, Steve and Annabeth. Nico drew his sword and spoke.

"Your time is long since come. Be released and rest." A smile of relief spread across Colonel Phillips's face and he froze like a statue. His skin turned transparent revealing the bronze gears and machinery whirring inside his body. Than the statue turned to gray ash before the body disintegrated. Both Mrs. O'Leary and Thron howled for their dead owner, Emily patted Mrs. O'Leary while Percy patted Thron. The following day that Emily and the howling commandos left Camp Halfblood, Steve and Lauren headed back to Washington D.C. while the howling commandos went their campsite. Before going down the hill to go to the underworld that Emily turned and looked down at the camp that laid before her, Emily smiled slightly before turning back and going down the hill with Mrs. O'Leary at her heels.


	10. Chapter 10

When fall came around that Emily went back to the world of the living with Mrs, O'Leary. Thankfully Colonel Phillips got a fair trial, not only that but Colonel Phillips got a special punishment, that was to build overpasses as well as roads in the Fields of Asphodel. Colonel Phillips loves it, honestly, it seems to Emily that Colonel Phillips was Elysium with his punishment and he still gets to see his son and nephew. His son and nephew gladly accepted Emily part of the family when Emily went to visit Colonel Phillips for the first time since he dead. She has the oddest family ever, it seems to get odder as the years went on, she doesn't mind that. During her time in the underworld that Nico started moved into the palace as well, Emily become close with Nico and they developed a brother-sister relationship with ease. However to seem that Nico and Hades were not as close as Emily and Hades, but Emily knows that Hades cares for Nico even if has a hard time showing it. However at times, Hades doesn't know how to show that he cares about Nico, being lord of the dead didn't help with that fact. But Nico and Arabella seem to be closer to each other than Emily and Nico were of which didn't bother Emily. She was rather glad of it since Arabella has someone her own age to talk to sort of, though Nico was born some years after Emily was born.

Besides the changing of the seasons, Emily another reason to go up to the world of the living, a very happy occasion was goi to happen. For in the last month that Steve propose to Lauren of who accepted, they were planning getting married in February. Emily was to be the maid of honor and Phil was to be the best man at the wedding, when Emily meet up with Phil a few days ago that they found it a bit funny that they were going to be the best man or maid of honor. During that time that Emily made fun of him a little about his girlfriend at first, but when Emily brought her up that she learned that S.H.I.E.L.D. told her that Phil was died. He told her what he ask Nick to, to make his friends and family, that were not part of S.H.I.E.L.D. to think he was died. But he was planning on asking her to move in with him but that feel though because of what she was told. Emily felt sorry for him, since he has to watch her from a distance, but she knew what it was like to lose a lover and knowing that they are there and alive but can't reach them or touch them. After that meeting that she went to the underworld for a days till she went back up to the surface.

Considering where she was going that she was in her normal appearance, blue eyes, tanned skin and blond hair. But no matter which appearance she was in that she was still the same height of 5'7" of which up till a few months ago Emily thought it was short. Emily knows that Steve was working for S.H.I.E.D., instead of heading toward her campsite, or cabin, that she went to Washington D.C. A of where the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters were located now. When Emily reached the Triskelion that she noticed something was off, she knows that it has high security but there seem to be added security to the building. Emily stood in front of it looking at the guards that were walking on the bridge and one of them had looked at her. Than one of the guard nudged the other guards and they noticed her, Emily thought they were going to open the bridge up when they saw her. Instead they loaded their guns, Emily ran out of the way just as the bullets went towards her. Emily was about ready to run into a shadow when she felt a hand on her forearm before she found herself being pulled into an alleyway. Once in the alleyway that Emily looked over to see a woman at the same height as her.

The woman was wearing a hoodie, jeans and tennis shoes, however the woman was looking right at her so that Emily could see her face, it was Maria hill, the deputy director of S.H.I. . Emily was about ready to ask her what was going when more bullets came their way from the Triskelion and Maria lead her away from the Triskelion. Emily has no idea of what was happening or they were being shot by the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., of who were their allies. After a few minutes that they ducked into an alleyway and the Agents went running by their hiding place. Neither one of them said anything, when Emily could hear the normal sounds of Washington D.C. that Emily looked over at Maria Hill. Something was clearly wrong, why else would Maria Hill took her arm and lead her away from the main headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. after it been moved to Washington D.C. As well as considering the fact that she was the deputy Director under Nick Fury, than Emily spoke.

"What is going on? Why are we running from S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised, somehow HYDRA managed to get inside S.H.I.E.L.D."

"But HYDRA died with the Red Skull."

"Well it didn't, somehow it still lives on."

"Where's Steve?"

"I know a way to found out but you may not like it though."

Oddly enough they managed to get into Triskelion, they managed to grab some suits to blend with the guards and agents. During the time they got inside that Maria explained of what happen in the last couple of days. That Natasha, Steve, and Lauren, as well as Emily even though Emily wasn't present when the events were taking place, were named furtive. After a few hours that S.H.I.E.L.D. sent out some of them to one of the streets in Washington D.C., Emily and Maria were among them that were sent out. When they reached the one street that Emily saw it was Steve, Natasha, Lauren and a black guy that Emily never seen before. Emily and Maria went into the same car as the black guy, Steve, Lauren and Natasha and the drivers were loyal to S.H.I.E.D. not HYDRA, thankfully. Of course they third guard of who Maria Hill knocked out and pushed out of the car before Emily and Maria took off their masks. Maria took the car to a hidden base and the six of them went inside, when they were inside that they discovered Nick was still alive or at least Lauren, Steve and Natasha since they thought Nick was dead.

Emily knew that Nick was alive otherwise Emily would have known for she would have a buzz in her ear telling her someone that she knows just died. It was than that Emily learned about Project insight and what it was suppose to do, that HYDRA was using it to destroy any threats to their new order. Nick handed the reigns to Steve to control the mission to stop a project insight form killing millions of people. After talking about the plan that Steve went outside and the black guy followed Steve out. Emily followed close behind, however she remained by the building as Steve and the black man spoke to each other. After a few minutes that the black guy entered the building, he nodded at Emily as he walked last to go inside. Emily walked over to where Steve was standing looking out towards the forest where Washington D.C. was. Emily knew something happen just before Steve and the others were captured, she could see it in how Lauren and Steve were acting. Something was bothering them, of what it was, Emily wasn't sure but there were some guesses, but she wanted to know what it was.

"Steve, what happened before you were captured and brought here?"

"I was fighting the Winter Soldier." Emily heard about the Winter Soldier from the ones that were killed by the Winter Soldier among them was Howard Stark and his wife.

"I heard about him from the dead, he is an assassin. But you fought people like him before."

"No, I didn't fight him before." Emily raised an eyebrow, Steve didn't say anything else nor did he explain of what he meant by that. Emily remained there, watching Steve, hoping he would tell her of what he meant by that. He was till looking ahead at Washington D.C. after a minute that he looked at Emily. "You don't want to know what I mean by that." Steve looked away, it was clear that he wasn't going to tell her of what he me as so Emily went back inside, the others were still at the table but the black guy joined them. Natasha was making the chips for the plan that they formed, Lauren looked distant as Natasha and the others worked or spoke. Than Emily spoke ump dragging everyone out of their talking or working or whatever they were doing, even Lauren.

"Look, I need to know something." Everyone looked at her, Emily looked over at Lauren of who looked pale and worried as well as scared. Almost like that attack from the winter soldier affected her in a way that she couldn't speaks of it. Emily looked away to look at Natasha, of who wore a neutral expression on her face. "Natasha, I know you were there when Steve was fighting the Winter Soldier, I heard about the Winter Soldier from the ones he killed in the past. I know he wears a mask and no one knows who he is. Tell me, how is that Steve and Lauren were affected by the Winter Soldier in this way." Natasha was about ready to say something but Lauren beat her to it.

"You don't want to know, Emily." Emily looked at Lauren. "Trust me, Emily you don't want to know of why Steve and I were affected this way by the winter soldier."

"Lauren, it is bugging me that something happened to you, honestly it concerns me with whatever happened during that fighting. Tell me what happened out here besides the fighting."

"Steve broke the mask of the Winter Soldier." Emily looked at her, slightly confused, no one else managed to do that before, but why was Lauren making it would like it was the worst thing in the world.

"Like as if anyone who has a mask hasn't be unmasked before."

"In this case it was a shock to both Steve and myself of who the Winter Soldier was and how he managed to become the winter soldier. It was worse for Steve than it was for me, but between the three of us, it might be a bigger shock to you. Honestly I think it would effect you the worst of all." Emily raised an eyebrow when Lauren said that.

"Lauren, get to the point. Why would be a bigger shock to me and why would be worse for me?" Lauren looked away from Emily, it was almost like she was dreading saying of what Emily was asking her. "Lauren! Out with it." Lauren looked up at Emily and said the last thing Emily ever expected her to say.

"Bucky Barnes is the winter solider." Emily grabbed the back of a chair to stop herself from felling over or at least from the feeling of felling over. Emily's stomach started to churn, Emily thought back to the day of when she learned Bucky and Steve were alive. Ever since Steve come back that Steve was on her radar to make sure he stay alive for a few more years or more. But Emily never figure out of what happened to Bucky or where he was, Emily wished that she could say that Bucky was dead. But she knows it was not true that Bucky was dead. Emily felt like she was hit by a truck, she knew what Bucky has been doing this whole time and she never knew that was him. Emily was staring at Lauren shock hardly believing it.

"Are you sure that Bucky is the Winter Soldier?"

"Yes, I thought you would have known he wasn't dead."

"I know he wasn't dead, Lauren, though I doubted it at times. I tried to find him but I never been able to it. It seemed like he just disappeared of the planet. But Bucky being the Winter Soldier, I don't know." Emily managed to sat down and nothing was said for the rest of the time of the planning and covering the details. The next day that they managed to get inside the Triskelion, Steve went to the mic and spoke into so all of S.H.I.E.L.D. could hear him.

"Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is Steve Rogers. You've heard a lot about me over the last few days, some of you were even ordered to hunt me down. But I think it's time you know the truth. SHIELD is not what we thought it was, it's been taken over by HYDRA. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The STRIKE and Insight crew are HYDRA as well. I don't know how many more, but I know they're in the building. They could be standing right next to you. They almost have what they want: absolute control. They shot the Nick Fury and it won't end there. If you launch those Helicarriers today, HYDRA will be able to kill anyone that stands in their way, unless we stop them. I know I'm asking a lot, but the price of freedom is high, it always has been, and it's a price I'm willing to pay. And if I'm the only one, then so be it. But I'm willing to bet I'm not!" Emily smiled lightly when she heard Steve say that, Emily was glad that Steve was back to being himself once more after waking up from the ice.

Than Steve went off the air before Emily, Sam apparently the black guy, and Steve went out of the building to get to the Helicarriers that were taking off. Emily and Sam managed to get to two of the Helicarriers and put the chips in, all three of them went to the last one Sam carried Steve while Emily used her shadow travel to get the last Helicarrier. However, Steve just barely managed to make it when Emily noticed that that one of Sam's wings was ripped off by something. Emily didn't have the time to help him or even have the ability to help him, she couldn't control the winds. The ones that could were children of Zeus or children of one of the wind gods for they were the ones with the ability or power over the winds. Emily went down to where the chip should go, she was followed by Steve, Steve went in front of her as they started down the walk path bridge that was similar to the one in the HYDRA bases as well as the other Helicarriers. Halfway across that Emily bumped into Steve for she didn't realize that he stopped walking, it seem Steve hadn't noticed that she bumped into him. Emily was about ready to say something to Steve but she looked past him, she was cut short when she saw the man standing in their way. Emily forced herself to shallow a cry and a scream as she looked at Bucky Barnes, her husband.


	11. Chapter 11

Emily felt the world stop as she looked at Bucky, Lauren did told her that Bucky was the winter soldier. Lauren also told her what the winter solider wears as well, just to make sure Emily knew him when she saw him, if she saw him. Emily knows that Lauren never makes up stories and Emily hoped that Lauren was wrong about Bucky but it was clear that Lauren hadn't be lying about Bucky and what he become. Bucky was looking at Steve, it seems that Bucky hadn't noticed Emily was there behind Steve. Though Steve was big enough that she was easily hidden behind him, though Thor was easy to hid behind than Steve of which was saying something. From the look Bucky was giving them that he has no memories of them, of who they were, or even who he was. For she could see it in his eyes as well as seeing I am ready to fight among other things. Even though Emily couldn't see Steve's face that she knew that he didn't want to fight Bucky, it would be hard for someone to fight their best friend. Emily couldn't do it since Bucky was her husband, Emily looked down at his hands. She noticed that one of his arms was metal and she saw that in the normal hand was the wedding band that he was wearing when he feel off the train.

"Please Bucky, don't make me do this." Steve was pleading with Bucky, though it seems like that plea didn't go through Bucky. Emily was close of crying out as well as close to tears, she didn't want to fight Bucky and neither did Steve. Bucky remained where he was standing daring them to fight him or at least one of them after a minute that Bucky started to attack them. Emily used shade travel and got out of the way as Bucky and Steve started to fight with each other. The chip went over the side of the bridge, Emily used her poppy and used like a grappling line. So she swung under the bridge and caught the chip in her hand before pull herself up to the bridge. She ran over to the computer that she has to put the chip into, Emily noticed Steve and Bucky were fighting not only that but Bucky hadn't realized that she has the chip in her hands. Emily put the chip in and it went down like the other chips went down in the other Helicarriers.

Emily heard Maria Hill say that she has everything set, that they needed to get out of there. Emily laid no heard to what Maria Hill said, instead she ran to the edge of the walkway and watched as Bucky and Steve fight with each other. Emily was close to tears as she watched the two of them fighting with each other, it was hard to watch. Than Emily heard Steve telling Maria Hill to push the button, as well as telling Emily to go as well but Emily wasn't going to leave not without Steve or Bucky, she hoped she could leave with both of them. So Emily jumped down onto the glass that Steve and Bucky were, when she jumped down that Steve managed to look at her. When he looked at that her look told him enough that she wasn't going anywhere without him. Than Emily used her poppy and let it grow, she tried to aim ad his legs but a slight breeze, that famous of nowhere, changed the course of the poppy. Bucky caught it in his one metal hand, it was almost like he could control the winds, he tried to pull it apart from where it was growing.

But that was difficult for three reasons, one because time as a sword as well as loving poppy, of which was Emily was unsure of how that works out with being a sword and a living poppy but she wasn't going to question it. But it also because Emily made the poppy and stem grow thicker when Bucky caught in his hand. The third was because the poppy could never leave her wrist no matter what she does to get off. When he failed to pull the poppy apart that he looked at her the first time since they got down here. For something clicked in his mind when Bucky looked at her, the basically empty eyes showed different emotions one that didn't seem to suit him with what he has been doing or what he was doing. Emily could see the true Bucky in those eyes, suddenly she felt a faint connection between herself and Bucky as well as between Bucky and Steve. It was hardly noticeable but it was there none the less, Bucky was looking at her carefully like he was scared she would vanish as if she was a dream. That his eyes wander down to her wedding ring and engagement ring on her right finger that was in the hand with the poppy.

When Bucky looked back at her face that was when he did something that Emily didn't expect him to do at all. Not that wasn't something like that has happen to her but it was unexpected from Bucky. He raised his other hand, the one with the ring, as he raised his hand that he let go of the poppy. Suddenly there was a blast of warm wind, like the ones during summer, and Emily was threw across the room from the wind. At that moment that the guns were starting to shoot at the Helicarriers, Emily managed to sit up form where she landed and looked up as Bucky kept hitting Steve. Emily was breathing heavy and her thoughts were going a mile a minute, it was clear that somehow Bucky remembers her, of what he remembers of her was the question. Not only that but Emily also realized something else, that was that Bucky was a demigod otherwise he wouldn't have ben able to use that wind the way he did. Steve than spoke up as he was fighting Bucky.

"You know me..."

"No, I don't!" Emily jerked each time Bucky hit Steve as well as when Steve hit Bucky.

"I'm not going to fight you... " Emily got up form where she fell as Steve dropped his shield. "Your name is James Barnes..."

"SHUT UP!" Emily jerked when Bucky said that and started hitting Steve again. Emily was close to tears, the glass beneath her, as well as Steve and Bucky, started to crack and break. Emily managed to grabbed hold of some metal bars before the glass fell from under her but she still could hear Bucky and Steve.

"You're my friend..."

"You're my MISSION!" Bucky kept pummeling Steve till he was bruised and bloodied. Emily put her face against the metal bars and tears started to roll down her cheeks as she watched Bucky hitting Steve like that, it broke her heart to see what she was seeing.

"Then finish it..." Bucky stopped, Bucky seems unsure if he should finish the mission, it was almost like if he could remember something. Something else form his past, something about Steve hopefully. Emily was hoping and praying that was the case. Than Steve spoke the same words that Bucky said before at Steve's and Emily's father funeral when they were six and eight years old. "Because I'm with you til the end of the line..."

Emily couldn't hold any longer and Emily let go of the metal bar, when she let to of the metal bar that she prayed to Poseidon that she would hit the water safely. Before Emily knew it that she hit the water but not before she saw Steve fall from the Helicarrier. When she hit the water that she found herself in deep water and she started to swim up but she couldn't see much in front of her or breath. She wasn't sure if she was going up or if she was going down, Emily was struggling against the water as she tried to swim up, than all the sudden something grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Than her face hit the surface of the water and she took a breath of air as someone pulled her onto the shore. Emily started to cough when the shore was under her once more, she was on all fours before she managed to get up on her knees. Emily noticed a shadow in front of her when she been on all fours and now that she was up on her knees and was no longer coughing that she looked up. It was Bucky, he was just standing there looking down at her, Emily remained where she was looking up at him.

Neither one moved for who knows of how long, but than Emily finally looked away from Bucky and saw Steve next to her bloodied and bruised. Emily managed crawled over to him and put her hands on his bloodied and bruised and started to chant in Ancient Greek. She heard Bucky walk up behind her, she figured that he was watching her so she paid no heed to him. Emily managed to take care of most of the bruises and cuts, but the hospital would have to finish up with how weak she was feeling at the moment from all the fighting, using her powers before she fell and almost drowned. Emily took her hand off of Steve's face and lowered her head somewhat, during the time she was healing him that she been worried that he may not make it. For his life aura was flicking while she was healing him, he was do close to death, but it was clear that the serum was helping him heal faster. With the serum and her healing that Emily knows that Steve would make it through and be just fine in a couple of days. As Emily remained there on her knees that a voice spoke from behind her making her jump slightly.

"Flower princess."Emily turned around to look at Bucky, of who was standing behind her, from his surprised expression that he didn't expect to say it out loud. Emily wanted to make sure that she hadn't being hearing things so she grew a stick to help her stand up properly. When she was standing and leaning on the stick that she tilted her head, the last time she heard the nickname of Flower Princess was just before Bucky went into the one train car just before he feel to his supposed death. Flower Princess was Bucky's nickname for her, for two reasons, Emily was the only known daughter of Demeter at the time. The other reasons was because Bucky always said she was a princess or to him at least. Becoming the princess of the underworld was a painful reminder to Emily of her nickname form Bucky.

"What did you call me?" Bucky stood there looking at her unsure if he should say it again, but looking at her that he seem to decides to say it once more.

"Flower princess." Emily smiled when Bucky said that, Emily figured that he may have remembered her earlier before falling off the Helicarrier. But it was clear now he remembered something about her or at least her face and nickname. Bucky remained standing of where he was as she walked over to him, he was watching her carefully wondering what she was doing. When she reached him that she did the one thing that he didn't expect her to do, she reached up and kissed him. Emily could tell that he was surprised and shocked that she did that, Emily wasn't sure if he would kiss back. After a few moments that Bucky was kissing her back and she felt him out his hands on her hips, Emily out her arms around his neck as they kissed. When Emily pulled away from the kiss that Bucky looked at her, he looked like he was going to say something but she heard the Quinjet coming towards of where they were. Bucky let go of her and she took her arms from around his neck, Bucky walked away from her.

Bucky only stopped once and looked back at her before he disappeared into the woods. Emily was standing of where she was when she kissed Bucky, when Nick and Sam got off of the Quinjet that Sam came over and helped her to the Quinjet. When the Quinjet went into the air that Emily went to the doors just before they closed, just as they flew away and the doors started to close that Emily saw Bucky leaving the forest and he was looking after the Quinjet. Emily couldn't see his expression but she was close enough to tell that he said or shouted after the Quinjet. Even though she couldn't hear what he said that she knew what he said, for she was sure that he said, who are you and who am I. Emily wanted to yell back to tell him but the doors closed before she coils even yell back at him. A few minutes later that he landed at the hospital, the doctors and nurses came out, Steve was taken to one room while Emily was taken to another room.

Bucky's pov

He stood in the way of Captain America, now they were facing each other once more. Like before, he has that same feeling that he knows this man before him, but that was unimportant. He was aware that there was someone behind a captain American but he paid no heed to that person. Until he deals with Captain America that he won't worry about the other person as well as to stop them from putting the chip in. He started the attack after Captain America pleaded him not to make him do this, once more he used the name of Bucky. As they fought that he realized that Captain America didn't have the chip and the chip wasn't anywhere near by either. He managed to look around as he fought with Captain America and he saw a woman putting he chip in and it went down. Bucky turned to face Captain America and went on fighting him, he couldn't believe that the woman managed to do of what he was trying to stop them. But he needed to finish his one mission, to finish off Captain America. When he went to hit Captain America again that a poppy started towards his feet to throw him off balance but he used he wind to catch the poppy.

That was the thing he found out some years ago, that he could use the wind to whatever he wanted it to do. He wasn't sure of how that was possible but he found that out on one of his other missions. He tried to breaks the poppy but it was grow thick like someone was able to do it and he could feel someone being pulled along with the poppy. So he looked up to where the other end of the poppy. When he looked at the woman that he froze, a strange feeling overcame him, the feeling always comes when he remembers the own thing from a memory, one that he couldn't place. He felt like he should know offender e memory comes form but he couldn't though, it was the first piece of a puzzle and he couldn't find any more pieces to the puzzle. He knew that a part of his life was missing expect for that one piece and there times when he wanted to know what his old life was like and if there was anyone thar was there for him and might be looking for him, when ever he thought of that, that a woman appears in his mind. For all this years he dreamed about her, honestly he thought that he made up to give himself something to look forward to this life he has.

Every time he saw the woman that he got this strange feeling the same one he was getting now as he was looking at the woman of was on he other end of the poppy. He could hardly believe it, that the woman standing there was the woman he thought he made up. She looks no older than twenty two, a couple of years younger than he was, she has the looks and build of a warrior that fought many times in a battler. But she was gentle, kind and loving, he remember sweet laughter coming from her lips were more red than roses. It was a beautiful sound that she makes when she laughs, the kind of sound her one can't forget or want to forget. Her voice was soft, kind and gentle just like she was, almost like flowers, water or nature itself. Her hair was long straight and blond like he remembers not only that but her hair was pulled into a ponytail. Her eyes were light blue mixed of sky blue and ocean blue and her skin was lightly tanned. However the only different thing about her was the fact that she was we write different clothing, she was wearing tennis shoes, dark jeans, a black shirt, and a brown leather jacket that was made for a man.

The name of Flower princess entered his mind and he could hear himself say the name and he could hear the woman saying Buck or Bucky. He expected she to vanish like in his dreams or when he thinks about her but she didn't though, she was staring back at him. It was almost like she knew that he remembers her, for he could see hope in her eyes, he looked down at the one hand and said that she was wearing wedding rings, one looked like an engagement ring. He nearly choked, for the rings on her fingers matched the ring on his finger that he never could,get off and no one else could either. He wasn't sure of how he knew but he knows that this woman held the answered he need and wanted of his old life. The part of him that was missing, he need to make sure she stay out of this fight. So he raised his hand, as he did so that he let to of the poppy, than he send. A blast of warm wind towards the woman and she was sent across the room away from the fight. That he went on hitting Captian America, as they fought that Captain America spoke.

"You know me..."

"No, I don't!" He kept hitting Captain America of who kept hitting him back,

"I'm not going to fight you... " Captain America dropped his shield of which surprised him somewhat. "Your name is James Barnes..."

"SHUT UP!" He couldn't take it much more and started hitting Captain America till he was on the floor and he pinned Capetian America of where the glass would be breaking soon.

"You're my friend..."

"You're my MISSION!" He kept pummeling Captain Americs till he was becoming bruised and bloodied.

"Then finish it..." He stopped when Captain America said that, he was started to remember things and among them was some memories of this man laying in front of him. Bucky has his arm in position to hit Captain America again. "Because I'm with you til the end of the line..."

He heard the metal breaking from behind him as well as the glass, he looked back and he was close of panicking as he saw the metal break away and the woman falling from the Helicarrier. If she dies he wouldn't get answers from her and if Captain America dies than he wouldn't get answers from him either. For it was clear that both Captain America and the woman knows him and knows who he was or is. It was than that Captain America slipped from his grasp and fell to the water below knocked out. He jumped from the Helicarrier to go after them. When he hit the water that he grabbed a captain America before swimming down to grabbed the woman. When he reached the surface that the woman was breathing heavy and was coughing. But Captain America was hardly breathing, he managed to take them to the shore, he pulled Captain America up further on the shore while he let go of the woman when she was far enough up on the shore. When he did that, that he turned to look at the woman.

He watched as she breathed heavy and coughed while on all fours and she was close to the land but she was still in the water. After about a minute that she managed to get to her knees before looking up at him, he didn't move and neither did she. They remained standing or on their knees looking at each other without saying a word. He has so much questions for her but he wasn't sure what to ask her or even what to say to her. After who knows of how long that she looked away from him to look at Captain America, she crawled toward him before placing a handover the cuts and bruises of his face and started to chant in another language. Oddly enough, he could understand of what she was saying, he wasn't sure or how he was able to understand the language she was using. He walked up to her to watch her and what she was doing, after a while she stopped chanting and pulled her hand away and looked at Captain America. It looked likened was healed from the cut and bruises that he gave Captain America,

"Flower princess." The woman jumped slightly when he said that, he was a bit surprised he said that out loud for he didn't mean to say it out loud for her to hear. The woman managed to get to her feet by growing a stick to help her form shaking too much. It also seem that she was weak after fighting on the Helicarriers. The woman tilted her head before looking at him carefully.

"What did you call me?" He looked at her unsure if he should say it again but decided to do so.

"Flower princess." The woman smiled when he said that, he wasn't sure of why she was smiling, but it was a beautiful smile none the less. The woman walked over to him, he remained standing of where he was, he watched her as she walked closer to him. He wondered what she was going to do, expect for a few other people, no one was really this close to him as the woman was when she reached him. Than she did the most unexpected thing, she reached up and kissed him, he was surprised when the woman did that. When he recovered from the shock that he starte to kiss her back and out his hands on her hips, he felt her arms wrap around his neck as he did that. As they kissed that some memories came back, a camp, a wedding and falling off a train and into the ravine below. When the woman pulled away that he wished that she didn't, he looked at her and was about ready to say something when he heard what sounded like a plane.

He let to of her and she pulled her arms away as he went to the forest to not to stop once to look back at the woman, she was looking at him as he looked back at her. When he turned and entered the forest that he knows she was going to watch him, so he went behind a tree as a plane like craft landed nearby and two black men came out. One he realized the one he thought he killed earlier, but apparently he was alive, but he no longer cares if the man was alive or not. But he noticed the woman was looking to the forest of where he was, one of the black men helped her into the plane and the other took Captain America on the plane. When the plane took off and was in the sir that he left the forest and watched as the plane went to the city. The doors were still open and the woman was looking down at him, so he shouted up at her even though she couldn't hear him. "Who are you? Who am I?" Than the doors to the plane closed so that he couldn't see her no more.

Later he managed to get into a store and managed to get some clothes, he left some money behind and a letter of apologize. He switched out of his armor and into the clothes he got himself, of which was a shirt, a jacket, blue jeans and tennis shoes. He managed to check into a hotel than he got some strange looks from the people because of his metal hand. He had a hard time of going to sleep that night, he figured because of what happened that day and he had some memories of his old life though it was not enough to figure out of who he was. The next day, he went to the museum for he heard that there was a Captain America and Lieutenant USA exhibit. It was rather late in the day when he went into the museum, it was almost dark when he entered the museum. He walked around the exhibit, more memories were coming back to him now, tears started to run down his face as the memories entered his mind. He reached a display of where there was the uniforms on display but one of them was missing of which was the Captain America Uniform. He was looking at the Lieutenant USA uniform, before he went to one of the other display that has writing of one of the howling commandos on it.

There was a picture of the howling commandos, it was his face that he was looking at, there was a description besides the picture and he started to read it. The name read James 'Bucky' Barnes, he read the description and it said that he was the best friend of Captain America, not only that but it also said that he was the husband of Lieutenant USA. Than he went to the next display and saw it was Lieutenant USA and it said similar things expect she was the twin sister of Captain America and wife of James 'Bucky' Barnes and that she faked her death for a time before revealing the fact she was alive the whole time. He closed his eyes as more memories hit him, he tried to hold back the tears that were coming down. He found himself kneeling down in front of the display of Emily Barnes for the wave of memories, both good and the bad came back. Bucky opened his eyes and looked at the picture of his wife, Emily Barnes, before he spoke softly to himself.

"I am so sorry Emily, I can't believe what I have been doing for the last many years." Bucky got up on his feet and walked closer to the display that showed Emily's face and he touched her face before he whispered softly. "You were the only thing I had retain from my old life and and into the next life I had be forced into and you helped become myself again. I am at least glad that you are alive." Bucky lowered hair hand, just as he did that, that he heard a woman's voice behind him.

"Excuse me." Bucky turned around, a girl about fifteen years old was standing there, she was wearing black pants, a black shirt, a bunch of bracelets, chains that acted like a belt and black leather boots that went up to her knees. Her skin was pale and her hair was dark red, but her eyes were purple with flecks of green in them. She was glaring at him, almost like he did something awful or something, it creeped him somewhat. Not only that but he felt an aura around her, it was like death and fear was coming off of her. Bucky looked to the floor and noticed that the shadows were reaching out to her. His first thoughts was who was this girl and why was she here out of all places for she didn't seem like the kind to come in a museum. Of course with the metal hand that people could see that he was sure people might think the same thing as well. The girl was looking at him carefully. "Who are you? Why are you here?" Bucky bit his bottom lip when she asked him that, she didn't seem happy he was here almost like he entered a temple to one of the Greek gods or something. He decided to give her his name or his first and last name.

"James Barnes, I am here because I wanted to see this place." The girl looked at the display that was his before looking back at Bucky. She stepped forward before she whispered softly to him.

"As in Bucky Barnes, the husband of Lieutenant USA?" Bucky nodded when she said that.

"The one and the same, who are you?"

"Arabella Evans, the Shadow Witch."

Emily's pov

From across the city, Emily woke up suddenly. She felt the one connection become stronger, it was the connection between Bucky, Steve, Lauren and herself that she was feeling. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks as she realized what must have happened, she wasn't sure of how it happened but it happened none the less. Somehow in some way, Bucky gained his memories back, Emily sat up and managed to get out of the hospital bed and looked to the museum of where the Captain America and Lieutenant USA exhibit was. Emily spoke softly with a smile on her face as she looked at the museum. "Welcome home, Bucky, welcome home."


	12. Chapter 12

When Emily and Steve could leave the hospital that they got some flowers and put the flowers on Nick's fake grave. Sam was there as well, after talking with Nick and Natasha that Steve, Emily and Sam decided to go look for Bucky. Emily brought Mrs. O'Leary with them to help look for Bucky, Emily thought Sam would only saw a dog or something. But she was wrong, for he saw Mrs. O'Leary for how she really was, so Emily and Steve explained to him that they were demigods and that there some mortals that could see through the mist like Sam. Sam was at least glad that he wasn't the only mortal that was clear sighted, once they explained enough to make Sam understand it. After two weeks of trying to find Bucky, without the help of the gods, that they gave up of trying to find Bucky or for the time being. Before going their different ways that they agreed that once Steve was married that they would try to look for Bucky again if he doesn't show up. Emily went back to her campsite or her cabin would be a better term for it, as Emily left the city that she changed into her daughter of Hades appearance made her way into the forest of where her cabin was.

As Emily and Mrs. O'Leary were close to the cabin that Mrs. O'Leary started to sniff around as though she picked up something. She than lowered her nose and sniffed around in a certain area, Emily went over to where Mrs. O'Leary was sniffing before kneeling down to look at the ground. There were boot tracks in the dirt, the tracks were leading towards her cabin, Emily wondered if it was Arabella but Emily doubted it since Arabella would use shadow travel. She wouldn't come down this far to walk to her cabin, not only that, if it was Arabella than they would be signs of the boots being high heels. But there was no such sign, so it was most likely a man or there was a better chance since most women would were high heel boots. Emily got up and followed the tracks to her cabin with Mrs. O'Leary at her heels, when she reached the clearing that she went behind a tree and looked at it. There were tracks everywhere, there was usually but at the moment there shouldn't be any since the last time Emily was here was in March before she found out what happened to Steve. There had been enough of the weather by now to cover up her tracks in the clearing by now.

There was a fire in the camp fire, the door to the cabin was open, Emily touched one of the leaves on her green bracelet and it changed into a dagger. Emily has no idea if this person was friend or foe, just as the dagger appeared in her hand that a man stepped out of the cabin, he was wearing a pull over shirt, jacket, jeans and boots. It looked he has been wearing a hat or just got up, for his hair was somewhat a mess, like he tried to comb it but failed. His hair was brown as well as being a bit long for a man, for his hair was close to his shoulders. She could see his eyes from this distance, they were blue in color. He was tanned and stood no taller than 5'11", he had the build and look of a soldier or a warrior. Emily smiled when she realized of who this was, she put the dagger's hilt next to the green bracelet and it became a leaf once more. Than Emily snapped her fingers softly and her appearance changed, than she stepped into the clearing. When she stepped into the clearing that Bucky looked up at the movement and he smiled when he saw her. Before he could move or say anything that she ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck.

Emily nuzzled her head against his neck, she felt Bucky wrap his arms around her before pulling her closer to himself. She could feel the metal around her waist, it felt weird to have that metal arm around her but it wasn't the first time she saw a metal arm even if it wasn't in real life. Emily could hear Bucky whispering to her as he held her close to him and he was saying the same thing over and over again, I am so sorry. Tears were threaten to roll down her cheeks but she managed to hold them back for the time being. Emily knows what he has done since his fall, Emily already inform Hades of what happened to Bucky and explained of what she was able to figure based on what she heard from the dead as well as what she saw herself. Hades pardon Bucky of what he bee doing since his fall form the train since his memory was wiped and he was under mind control so it wasn't really his fault but the fault of the ones who did it to him. Emily didn't say anything at first, instead she lifted her head and kissed him as he spoke one more time and she cut him off with the kiss. He was kissing her back, after a minute that Emily pulled away from the kiss, Bucky was looking down at her and he didn't say anything.

"I know what happen, Bucky and I don't care. All I care about is that you are back and that you are no longer the Winter Soldier." Emily nuzzled up against Bucky's neck once more, Bucky kept holding her, refusing to let go of her. Like she would disappear if he let's go of her, after a few minutes of standing like that, that Bucky lead them to the cabin. Emily shifted so that she was walking along besides him with her head on his shoulder and his arms were still around her waist.

"Just wondering, do you know who made that cabin?"

"Yes, I made the cabin." Bucky looked at her when she said that so she went on. "It's were I stay during the fall and winter, during this time of the year that I rescue and find demigods and take them to Camp Halfblood. I needed somewhere to stay since I didn't want to attract attention to myself while I was doing that." Bucky nodded when Emily said that before they went inside and sat on the couch. They didn't say anything for a few minutes but Bucky broke the silence.

"Exactly what happened to you and Steve since the war and the howling commandos?"

"Well, Steve was frozen in ice for sixty seven years, it was only a few months ago in April that he was taken out of the ice and woke up. As for the howling commandos, they are are more or less become a group of immortal commandos that protect the world from threats for the most part. As for me, Hades adopted me and made me his heir, as a result I can use the same powers as a child of Hades. Not only that but I am also the champion of Hestia."

"I think Steve had been the least busiest, I think you been the busiest." Emily smiled and she closed her eyes before she fell asleep on Bucky's shoulder.

Bucky's pov

When he left the museum that he entered this forest and struggled to find a place to lay low till he found this cabin, it was well kept up but it looked like it hadn't been used in a few months though. So he moved in and started to clean up, though there wasn't much to do though, but he managed to keep himself busy for the next couple of weeks. During that time that he wondered if the owner would come back to this place. After those two weeks past that he left the cabin to get some firewood that he stopped, during his time as the winter soldier that his sense become higher. He knew someone was watching up, he noticed movement and looked up as Emily stepped out from behind a tree. He smiled when he saw her, before he could do or say anything that she ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her. It felt odd to put his metal arm around her, he was worried that if he pulled her to tight with the one that he may harm her. When he pulled her closer that he put his face into her hair, he could smell nature coming from her like before. He kept saying the same thing over and over again of which saying that he was sorry, for everything he ever did since falling off that train. Emily didn't say anything at first of which worried him at first, but than she lifted her head and kissed him, he kissed her back. After about a minute that Emily pulled away before she spoke.

"I know what happen, Bucky and I don't care. All I care about is that you are back and that you are no longer the Winter Soldier." Emily nuzzled up against his neck once more, he refused to let her go for he let to once before when he fell. He has no intention of doing that again, for they lost sixty seven years, sixty seven years, because of that fall of which lead Bucky to become the winter soldier. They lost sixty seven years of spending time together as a married couple should do, as well as have a happy and beautiful life together. Bucky was sure that Emily thought he was died till recently when she saw him again as the winter soldier. After a few minutes of standing there that he lead her inside, Emily shifted so that she was walking besides him. She also placed her head on his shoulder, he kept his arms wrapped around her as they walked.

"Just wondering, do you know who made that cabin?"

"Yes, I made the cabin." Bucky looked at her when she said that so she went on. "It's where I stay during the fall and winter, during this time of the year that I rescue and find demigods and take them to Camp Halfblood. I needed somewhere to stay since I didn't want to attract attention to myself while I was doing that." Bucky nodded when Emily said that and they went inside before sitting on the couch. They didn't say anything for a few minutes but Bucky had broke the silence.

"Exactly what happened to you and Steve since the war and as well as the howling commandos?"

"Well, Steve was frozen in ice for sixty seven years, it was only a few months ago in April that he was taken out of the ice and woke up. As for the howling commandos, they are are more or less become a group of immortal commandos that protect the world from threats for the most part. As for me, Hades adopted me and made me his heir, as a result I can use the same powers as a child of Hades. Not only that but I am also the champion of Hestia."

"I think Steve had been the least busiest." Bucky saw that Emily smiled when he said that, than she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Bucky pushed some of Emily's hair out of her face as she slept, he smiled as he watched her sleep. Ever since he was eight that Emily was part of his life, when he first meet her that he had no idea that he would fall in love with her. It wasn't till after Steve and Emily rescue him and the howling commandos from the one HYDRA base that he realized that he has feelings for her. It wasn't till after he kissed her that first time that it was her that kept him grounded, even after he became he winter soldier that she kept him grounded and not lose his mind. For Emily was still there even with his memories wiped, for he remembered the important things about Emily after his memories were wiped, the way she looked, the way she laughs, the way she sounds and the way she smiles. He remembers reading somewhere that love triumphs all, he believes that does happen.

For he loves Emily with all of his heart, there was no question or doubt in his mind about that fact. He was sure it was because of his love for her was the main reason he could remember her as the winter soldier. As Bucky stat there that he noticed a few things, one that the smell of nature was stronger than he remembers. There was also a small hint of dirt in the smell as well, not only that but she gained other smell as well. He could could smell homemade cooking as well as a cinnamon, Bucky figured that came from the blessing of Hestia. Though somehow there seem to be malt her smell but he couldn't quite place it, it was almost like Emily could control that smell and not allowed it to be smelled unless if she wants them to. After a few minutes of sitting there that Bucky managed to get up without waking Emily before picking her up bridal style. He walked into the bedroom and placed her on the bed before laying next to her, he put his hand on one of her cheeks, Emily moaned slightly when he did that. Her skin felt just as soft as he remembers, as he touched her cheek that Emily shifted and opened her eyes to look at him.

Emily pulled herself up a little more before she started to kiss him once more, Bucky kissed her back. As they kissed that Bucky pushed Emily on her back and climbed on top of her, when Bucky was on top of her that his hands went under her shirt at once. It been a while since they done this, though saying a while for them seem more like forever. After who knows of how long that Bucky got off of Emily and went to his side breathing heavy. Emily was breathing just as heavy, once more she put her arms around his neck she before putting her head on his chest. Bucky out his arms around her and pulled her closer to him, Bucky nuzzled his face into Emily's hair before he spoke. "Good night, Emily."

"Good night, Bucky."

Emily's pov

The next morning, Emily jerked awake when her cell phone, the one Phil gave to her a few years ago. Of which is updated often from S.H.I.E.L.D., though doubts she would get new updates from S.H.I.E.L.D. now that the agency was more or less gone for the last couple of weeks. Emily got out of the embrace she was in with Bucky, of who was still asleep, before she rolled over to her other side and grabbed her cell phone. She looked at the caller ID and saw it was from Phil, Emily also looked at the time and groaned when she saw it was seven thirty in the morning. She hates it when Phil calls her early in the morning like this, he knows that she hates it though he does it partly to annoy her. Though he called because he needed her help with some of his missions, Emily doubted that was why Phil was calling her. Emily accepted the call before putting up next to her ear and spoke.

"You better have a good reason for calling me this early in the morning, Phil."

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bunk again?"

"Very funny, smarty. So why are you calling?"

"I need you to come to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters." Emily blew air when Phil said that, he knows the headquarters was destroyed a couple of weeks ago.

"That was destroyed a couple of weeks in that fight with project insight, Phil. You know that much."

"I know, but I wasn't talking about that headquarters. I was talking about the one in New York." Emily put her hand over her forehead and eyes before she started to rub.

"Why? Why do you need me to come in? S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone now."

"True, but Director Fury wants to rebuild it." Emily sat up and pulled the sheets up around herself as she did so, Bucky stirred slightly when she did that.

"But he was going to keep low after faking his death."

"He is, he gave me two last orders before he went into hiding. One to rebuild S.H.I. ."

"What about the other order?"

"That was to make me director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Emily nearly dropped her phone when Phil said that.

"What?"

"You heard me, I need you to come by the headquarters."

"All right, but I want to know two things."

"What?"

"First, are you going to make me a Consultant and two, when did Fury make you director?"

"Yes, you will have the same position as before, if I was not the director, I would be doing that position myself. He made me Director two weeks ago while you and Steve were in the hospital."

"You didn't tell me during that whole time that you were the director?"

"No, I was too busy to start rebuilding it." Bucky started to stir some more.

"All right, I will meet you there." Emily hung up and got out of the bed and picked out some clothes, Bucky managed to remain asleep as Emily got ready. When she was ready that she shadow travel to the main office in the headquarters, she wasn't the only there for Steve and Lauren were there. Phil was there as well, that was a given since he called to get her over here, Emily went the chair besides Steve and sat down. "Why are Lauren and Steve here?"

"I asked them to come as well as ask them to be Consultant or ambassadors might be a better term for it, more or less they will give reports of what the howling commandos are doing." For the next well that they set up of what exactly what Lauren were going to do as well explain a few things that have been added since Emily last held her job. Honestly Emily didn't see any difference with the added things to her job.

"I don't see any differences since I was doing the same thing, though most of the time it was because I was babysitting you." Phil put his hands over his face when Emily said that.

"Don't remind me about that fact, even I was aware of it."

"Did Nick even know I was babysitting you half of the time? I know he was aware I went with you some of the assignments since he wanted a demigod on those assignments."

"No, he was unaware of that fact. As far as he was concern that those assignments needed a demigod." Steve than spoke.

"Emily, why were you baby sitting Phil, more so since he was like the one babysitting the avengers." Emily looked over at Steve.

"Well when Bucky feel, you went into the ice, and my fake death to that she got over protective. She knew she couldn't me as much as she wanted to considering what I was doing. When I found Phil and he was claimed as a son of Demeter that she pretty much had me babysitting him since than even to now. Though, I will admit it was not needed since I would have looked for him anyway, since I didn't want to lose another brother or at least not as soon as I did with you. Half of it was me watching out for Phil but the other half was mother being over protective." Since the battle of Manhattan that Steve learned that Phil was a half brother of theirs of which surprised Steve. Emily knew that Steve didn't expect that, she even told him that Phil was the third child of Demeter after Steve and than Emily. Phil removed his hands from his face.

"Anyway, change of subject. I heard that you two." He pointed at Steve and Emily. "Went or were looking for the winter soldier." It was Steve that spoke.

"Yes, after I am married that we will try again."

"From what I heard that he was a friend of yours or something. Who was or is he?"

"He is, I believe he has started to remember his old life such I believe HYDRA did something to wipe his memories. It would be Bucky Barnes" Phil looked at Emily when Steve said that, his look told her that he couldn't quite believe. Phil knows that Emily was married to Bucky. But till that moment, Emily knows that Phil that Bucky was dead.

"Isn't he dead?" Emily shook her head.

"No, he isn't. He was lost when he fell. Not even the gods could find him." Phil raised an eyebrow before he spoke.

"I know that Steve wasn't dead since you told me after I found out who you were. But you never brought up that your husband wasn't dead." Emily rolled her eyes when Phil said that.

"That is mainly because of the fact that it wasn't something you didn't need to know. Besides, I couldn't tell you much of what could have to Bucky. For I thought he was dead at first only to found he was lost. Anything could happen when he fell from the train, it was only recent that I found out what happened to Bucky." Phil looked between them.

"So you not able to find Bucky than?" Before Steve could say anything that Emily spoke.

"Together, that is right. But after we went our different ways to get ready for the wedding that I found Bucky without even trying." Steve, Lauren and Phil looked at her when she said that, it was Steve that spoke.

"You know where Bucky is for how long." Emily thought back for a few moments before she spoke.

"About twelve hours, maybe a little more."

"In other words, he was at the cabin."

"Yes and still is, he was asleep when I left." Emily than looked at Phil. "I am surprised he didn't walk up when you called." Phil shook his head and smiled lightly, Steve looked at Phil.

"Do you mind if we leave now."

"Go on a head, we are finished anyway." Steve wanted to see Bucky when they left but he wanted to talk to Emily to know what happen when she saw Bucky there. So they went back to his apartment to talk about it while Lauren went to the howling commandos to tell them about the meeting. When Emily closed the door that Steve spoke.

"Does Hades know of what happen to Bucky?"

"He is aware of it, I told Hades about it while we were trying to find him. He pardon of what Bucky had been doing since HYDRA found him and brainwashed him into working for them." They spoke for a little more time, she told Steve of what happen till she fell asleep on Bucky's shoulder and that Bucky put her in the bedroom but she didn't tell him what happen after that. Just after Emily finished telling the story and making lunch that there was a knock in the door, Emily and Steve looked at each other before Steve yelled.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Capsicle. I need to talk to you and your sister." Steve rolled hair eyes when they heard Tony, Steve and Tony got along better since the battle but they still argued with each other from time to time. Steve yelled back at the door

"Go away, Tony."

"Let me in." Than Emily yelled at the door, so that Tony knows that she was there.

"We are armed, Tony."

"I need to talk to you two about the avengers." Emily sighed and got up from the table, as she went to the door to open it that she spoke

"How do you know if we don't have company?" She SIDS that just as she opened the door. Tony walked in and looked around as Steve entered the hallway that lead down to the kitchen as well as living room.

"No, you don't. You two are the only ones here."

"Tony, I am visiting, so I am company."

"Venue funny, Plant Vine." Emily looked at Steve when Tony said Plant Vine, Steve shrugged and looked just as confused as Emily does. Than Emily looked at Tony.

"Plant Vine? What kind of name is that?"

"Yeah, it was the first nickname I could come up for you. Shadow witch wouldn't work to well because of you sister."

"As well as the fact that I am not a witch. Not only that but a vine is a plant." Tony waved the last part off as he sat down in one of the chairs in the living room, Emily and Steve sat down on the couch.

"First off, I talked to Natasha, Clint, Thor and Bruce about this. As you two might be aware by now that S.H.I.E.L.D. is being built back up after that civil war. We would most likely meet up with S.H.I.E.L.D. again, I don't mind them as an ally. But they don't have the funds for the avengers, so I am going to back up the avengers and everything we need. I am rebuilding the mansion in Malibu as well as the tower in New York, the mansion will be one of two headquarters and living quarters while the tower becomes the other headquarters and living quarters. I want to know that you tow are fine with this." Than Tony pointed at Emily. "But I need you to ask Arabella if she is fine with this." Than he pointed at Steve. "The same goes for Lauren. For she is going to be your wife."

"We will tell them about this. Are you going to make rooms off the penthouse."

"No. Each level would be made for each avenger. Lauren and Steve will share a level when they are married. Arabella has the option of sharing the same level as you since she is your half sister."

"Having her own level would be fine. But I will talk to her about it, we will give the designs to finish our levels." Tony nodded and got up before leaving the apartment. A few minutes later that Emily went back to the cabin, when she went inside that she saw Bucky was in the kitchen and that he only had pants on. Emily watched him as he tried to make a grilled cheese sandwich but he was struggling, he was mostly struggling because of his metal arm from the looks of it. "Do you know of how funny that looks?" Bucky looked up as Emily left the doorframe and walked over to him, than he spoke.

"Where have you been?" Emily walked up to him and kissed him.

"That is rather normal in my life of where sometimes I have to get up early for one reason or another. However, Phil called this morning and woke me up. Though it didn't wake you up for some odd reason." Emily told Bucky of what happened when she left before he woke up as she finished the grilled cheese sandwich and handed it to him. Bucky barely finished his sandwich when she finished.

"So, you and Steve are no longer the only children of Demeter?"

"That would be corrected." Emily looked at Bucky he seem to be deep in thought. "A what is it Bucky?"

"You said Hades adopted you right?"

"Yes, I did?" He looked at her carefully before he spoke.

"Shouldn't you have a aura of fear or something like that? Thar shades will bend towards you?" Emily raised an eye brow when he diss that, she did have one but she can hide it with ease.

"I do have one, but since I wasn't born a child of Hades that I can hid it. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I went to the one exhibit at the museum in Washington D.C. When I was looking at the Lieutenant USA and Captain America exhibit that I remembered my old life. Just barely I ginned my memories back that a girl, no more than fifteen appeared behind me and spoke to me. I never sew her before." Emily raised an eyebrows when Bucky said that.

"What did she look like?"

"Dark red hair, pale skin, and purple eyes with flecks of green in them. Her clothes were dark, there was a chain belt of some kind along with a bunch of bracelets and a skull necklace. She called herself the Shadow Witch." Emily was drinking some milk as he spoke. When he reached the name of Shadow witch that Emily cough and she spat the milk back into the glass. Bucky looked at her oddly, Emily put the glass down and rubbed her nose for some of the milk went up her nose as well. Emily done that before a few time a but not in front of Bucky, it was usually in front of Arabella or Phil.

"I got milk up my nose."

"How is that possible?" Emily shook her head before removing her hands and spoke.

"Never mind, Bucky. I may have to bring you up to date on some things depending on what happened after you fell. But that is not one of them though, however, did the shadow and darkness bend to her and was there a aura of fear and death around her? Not only that but did she use the name of Arabella Evans before she saw the Shadow Witch?" Bucky looked surprised when Emily said that.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, so you know her than? I am just going to assume that she is a daughter or Hades."

"Yes, by birth, unlike me. Also unlike me, that children that were born as a child of Hades that the aura of death and fear would never fully be hidden. My guess is that she might have been using her powers at the moment you meet her, maybe." Bucky raised his eyebrow when she said that.

"You making it sound like it doesn't leave at all." When Bucky said that, that Emily allowed the aura of death and fear that surrounded her to show itself. When she did there the cabin seem to be colder and seem more damp, Bucky shivered some before Emily covered the aura once more and Bucky stopped shivering. "So it doesn't leave at all."

"No, I can hide it when I want to or need to. For the most part I keep it hidden."

"You know, after meet the one girl, I thought that aura thing, that was around her, was creepy and disturbing as well as the darkness and the shades bending to her. But your aura." Bucky shivered. "Yours is more disturbing than hers was."

"I figured. Tomorrow we will be visiting Steve and Lauren."


	13. Chapter 13

When Emily woke up the next morning that she felt movement besides her, she was slightly confused at first till she remembered a couple of days ago of finding Bucky at her cabin. Emily opened her eyes, sure enough he was laying there, he was stirring slightly as he woke up, in the past couple of days she really hadn't looked much at him to see what difference took place since she last saw him besides the metal arm. Emily noticed his hair was long, it was hard not to notice when she first saw him after so many years, his long hair and metal arms were the main difference she noticed first glance. Bucky was always fit, it was apparent that he went through some rough training when he was made into the winter soldier. But he was slightly bigger than what Emily remembers, his build was a little more like Steve's after Steve gained the super soldier serum. But there was other difference, back in the war that Bucky had a certain smell of oak, an odd smell coming from someone. She could still smell that but it was weak compared to the other smells that he has.

For she could also smell from Bucky a summer breeze, morning dew and fresh dirt, of which was an odd mix. Emily also remembered of how warm Bucky was during the cold months during the war. He still has that warm, but Emily could feel the fire that was part of him, she could feel it since she was a fire user herself and she was able to tell when she was up against another fire user or a child of the god of the north wind and winter. Emily wondered if he was a demigod since the Helicarrier, Emily knows that demigods have scents to monsters and each one was different. Not only that but the demigod would smell like something that their godly parent was god of. Emily was sure that she smelled like nature or harvest, if she decides to she can emitted death and fear. With the new smells and the warmth coming Bucky that Emily knows he has to be a demigod. Looking at him again and thought if what happened in the last couple of weeks and the times in World War II that Emily took a guess of who his father was, Notus, the god of the south wind and summer.

The fire that Emily could sense coming from Bucky as well as the warm breeze and the small that it only make sense that Bucky was the son of the god of south wind. Emily put her hand lightly on the metal arm, unlike the rest of Bucky that the metal arm was cool to touch. When Emily put her hand on his metal arm that Bucky stirred some more and opened his eyes and looked down at her. Emily smiled when Bucky looked at her, Bucky put some of her hair behind her ear like he used to do before he fell off the train. Bucky than looked at where her one hand before looking back at her once more, Emily knew that as the winter soldier that he sort of got use to it. But now that he was back to himself that Emily was sure that the metal arm was awkward for him as well. Yesterday was proof of that when he tried to do a simple things that one does with Norma hands and arms. Emily did wondered if he could fight just as easy with his metal arm as he could before regaining his memories.

"It seems odd, doesn't it? The metal arm I mean." Emily ran her hand along the metal arm before looking at Bucky.

"Yeah, but can you even feel anything with the arm though."

"Yes, but it's a strange feeling though." Bucky shook his head as he spoke. "It's hard to say of how it feelings unless if you have one as well."

"I have no plans of having a metal arm." Emily got out of the bed and Bucky followed suit, Emily went into the kitchen to make breakfast with Bucky just behind her. As she started to get breakfast that Bucky spoke.

"Didn't you say that you are the champion of Hestia?"

"Yes."

"Can't you just make the food appear?"

"I can, but I don't always do that." Emily looked over at Bucky. "Unless if you forget, I can cook." Bucky merely smiled.

"I remember when I learned that you know how to cook, I was surprised by that fact." Emily merely smiled, she remembered that as well, for that was when Steve learned that one of his abilities was to cook. Emily never bothered to show him of how to use it, though it was not needed since if Steve tried to do more in the kitchen this he has done that he would be cook just as good as she was or at least as good as she was in the war. But with the blessing of Hestia, her cooking abilities were improved. As they ate that Bucky spoke once more.

"I am wondering, when do the signs of a demigod appear?"

"Depends on said demigod. Usually between the ages of ten to thirteen." Emily looked up at him. "Let me guess, you think you are a demigod?" Bucky looked a bit surprised when Emily said that.

"Yeah, it's that with the memories I have while I was the winter soldier that I was able to do thing,a things I never was able to do before. Like I can use the wind for example. Not only that but ... " Bucky put his fork down and out his palm up and it lit up. "I can do this." Emily waved her hand and the fire flew to her hand and she closed her hand making the fire disappear, Bucky looked surprised.

"I can fire too, but that comes from Hestia though just like black hellfire comes from Hades."

"Black what?" Emily lite up her hand, instead of flames like the fire buckled used, it was black, this she closed her hand and he fire disappeared.

"That was black hellfire. It is more deadly than regular fire. That is besides the point. I do believe you are a demigod."

"How is that possible, I couldn't do this before." Emily out her fork down and looked at Bucky.

"One thing I learned is gods do whatever they want to do as well as did what they want to protect their children. It is like with my mother of did her best to protect me in World War II as well as Steve, she was not at all happy when she learned my fake death was set up. My guess is that your godly parent made it so that your powers didn't come out and were hold back even when you reached the age of where the scent becomes stronger. I heard a couple of gods would do something like that to protect their demigod child if they knew they had one."

"Why would she do that?" Emily smiled when Bucky said that.

"You mean he." Bucky raised an eyebrow when she said that.

"Are you saying Zeus is my father?"

"No, he is not for no child of Zeus has fire as a power from him. There is only two gods that pass ability on to a child, in the one god's case that is rare of which is Hephaestus, the other being Notus."

"Notus?"

"Yes, he is the god of the south wind and summer. His children would have the fire power and wind power." Bucky was about ready to say something when a light appeared above him, he fell off his chair, Emily laughed when Bucky did that. Above Bucky's head was a wreath of withered smoking barley appeared over his head, Bucky stared at it as the light disappeared. Than he looked at Emily.

"What was that?"

"Claiming, Notus just claimed you. That is how most claiming are. There is only a couple of exceptions to this. Like a child of Aphrodite."

After they ate breakfast that they went to Steve's apartment, Steve was glad to see Bucky as himself instead of the winter soldier. Steve told them that he called Phil and told him of what he hoped and wanted to do of which was make Bucky the best man. For the next couple of months that Bucky and Emily were busy with doing the missions that she usually does Bucky helped as well for the most part, and help plan Steve's wedding. After a mission that Emily sat down on the couch and Bucky sat down next to her. Emily wrapped her arms around him while he wrapped his arms around her, Emily placed her head on his chest. During the last couple of months that Emily got used to his merely arm and so did Bucky, all expect for fighting. When he started fighting that it seems Bucky never gives it much thought of his metal arm.

"Of you think about it, we been married for about sixty seven years to almost sixty eight years." Emily smiled, it was a funny thought that was for sure. For no one would believe they been married for that long.

"It sounds so funny, no one would believe that expect for the howling commandos, Steve and Lauren." Bucky smiled, this they went to their bedroom.

It didn't take long do February to come around, so that means that the wedding was upon them. When the day came that there was quite the crowd, it was bigger than Emily's and Bucky's wedding was. For the avengers were there as well as some S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the howling commandos were there as well as a fair amount if demigods, including her mother, Persephone, Hades and Arabella. After the ceremony that everyone went to where the reception was being held. For the most part Emily and Bucky stayed together till the dancing, they did dance a few dances together. But she also danced with Steve as well as Hades, it was a bit odd to say the least of when she danced with Hades. Sure in many was she does think of him as a father,she just never really thought of him as a dancer. One do the times she was dancing with Steve that she noticed that Bucky was talking to Bucky and Demeter. As she looked at them that she remembered what Bucky told her shortly after they were married. That he didn't ask Demeter for permission to marry her, Emily wasn't too bothered by it for Emily knows that Demeter watched Emily her whole life. So her mother knows what Bucky could do and knows of how much Emily loves him and the same can be said for Hades

It didn't take long for February to come around, the wedding was soon upon them. Whine it reached the day that there was quite crowd, the howling commandos were there as well as the avengers. Not only that but Emily's and Steve's mother was there as well as Persephone and Hades. When the ceremony was over that everyone had went to where the reception was being held. For the most part that Emily and Bucky stay together till after the dancing started, there was a couple of times that Emily had danced with Steve. It was during one those times that Emily had noticed that Bucky was talking to Hades and Demeter.

"Bucky is talking with our mother and Hades." Steve looked over at Bucky, their mother and Hades, before he looked at Emily.

"I don't know about our mother, but I think he is aka it Hades if he is fine with you being married to him."

"I think he is do that with both of them. For he never asked our mother for her permission for him or marry me, sine our father is died that it would be hard for Bucky to ask him that question." Steve stared at her.

"You were rooted by Hades, you could raise his ghost." Emily shrugged.

"True, but I didn't need to. Since I spoke with our father about that as well as being adopted by Hades. Honestly he is fine with both." Steve smiled and shook hai head.

Later that Bucky and Emily went back to their cabin, Emily was rather glad that Bucky found the cabin and she found him at the chain. Sure Emily does a lot of stuff all year long, but it trends to get lonely during the autumn and winter. Emily been known to go to he underworld to spend time with Hades, Persephone and Arabella for the last many years. However with the Titan army's, that Emily and Bucky been on more missions or find Demigods as well as to kill as many as monsters as they could find. Emit was sure that isn't out Bucky's help that she would have gone nuts with all the missions she found herself in, more so with the wedding. Once Emily and Bucky were inside that they went to their bedroom and went into the bed, Emily wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his arms around her.


	14. Chapter 14

Bucky's pov

Ever since Bucky stumbled across Emily's cabin that his life turned around for the better, Emily already told him of what Hades did when she explained to Hades about Bucky. Bucky was glad of that, though Bucky wasn't sure of why Hades allowed that, there a lot of reasons that he came up with. But he decided to just leave it be, for he was giving a second chance in more than just living. During the last few months that Emily taught him of how to use his abilities or some of it at least. For Emily has some control over the seasons and she taught him of how to make it seem more like summer. She also helped him with his fire ability but she couldn't help much with his powers over the winds. During the past few months that Bucky, more or less, rejoined the howling commandos and Apollo put his blessing on Bucky. Bucky was only giving one mission of which was to stay with Emily and help her, he wasn't going to complain about that. As a result of that, that the blessing that Bucky got was pretty much the same as Emily's expect for the fact that they have two different patrons and Emily got her immortality from Hades.

When Steve's wedding came that Bucky was happy for him, though it seems odd for Steve and Lauren to married after about seventy years. But it was just as odd for Bucky and Emily to be married for almost sixty eight years, he was still trying to wrap his mind around that fact. For the most part Bucky and Emily remained together through the ceremony and reception. The only time they were not together was when Steve was dancing with Emily, during one of those times that Bucky decided he should have down before he married Emily. However the difference than and now was that Bucky would have to ask two instead of one. For Emily's father was died but her mother was still alive but she since was adopted by Hades, of which was still something he finds odd. Not that he doesn't believe that happen for it clearly did, for when Emily allowed her death and fear aura to open that he felt it. He remembered what kind of Aura that Arabella had, he remembered of much fear he felt. But Emily's aura was much more powerful than Arabella, she told him that she didn't even use it fully when she allowed the aura to been see and felt when Bucky question her about that.

Bucky really didn't want to know know of how strong and powerful that aura of hers was. He was glad that she was able to keep it hidden, when she wanted to. As he went to the table of where Hades and Demeter were that he thought of that dream with Hestia last night. It wasn't till that dream that Bucky remembered having that first dream, though meeting with enjoy after she saved from the HYDRA base that he felt like he should known something or remembered something. On the way back to the base in Italy that Bucky learned about the demigods and the demigod world. He understood now of the daughter of Demeter was as well as who his one love was. He remembered thinking of when Hestia put that blessing on him that he doubted he would find his way back home. But he had no idea of what would happen, it makes sense now of why he could remember Emily for Hestia allowed him to remember Emily and so that she could help him return to who he was. Last night, she told him that she approves of him already, so Bucky didn't need to worry about asking Hestia for permission.

Though he was worried of what Hades and Demeter might say though of when he ask if they were fine with Bucky being married to Emily. If they were normal mortals parents, Bucky wouldn't be as worried about them as he was but they were a god and goddess. So they could do something to him, he heard of the Greek stories but Demeter and hades don't really seem to the type to do revenge. For that seem more like a Zeus or Hera thing to do, he was more worried about the rejected him than everything else. Bucky knows that both Hades and Demeter care deeply for Emily as well as Steve, he was sure that they didn't want anything to happen to either Emily or Steve. He wasn't sure of how much hades cares for Steve, but Bucky believes at least he cares enough about Steve that he would look out for him. If it wasn't for that reason of why hades would look out for Steve, it would be because of the fact that Steve was Emily's twin brother. When he sat down at the table that Hades and Demeter looked at him, it was Hades who spoke first.

"What brings you here?"

"I need to ask you two something."

"Of which is what?"

"I know I never asked permission to marry Emily. So I was hoping that you don't mind that I am married to Emily." Demeter and Hades looked at each other before looking at him with a small smile on their faces, it was Demeter that spoke first.

"I expected you to ask me that in the war, I understand in the time of war that it would be hard to ask for permission to marry a girl. If it wasn't during the war, I expected it afterwards. I couldn't been happy when she married you, even with what happened to you after the war. I am going to overlook that due to the fact you love Emily as well as the blessing that Hestia put on you so you could return from being the winter soldier. I know that a wound was left after the war that was caused by losing you and Steve as well as not knowing of what happened to Lauren. I am glad to see that wound had since left."

"I agree with Demeter on this, though I know some of the wound healed when Phil and Arabella came around but the wound wasn't healed till Emily learned of what happen to Steve, Lauren and you. Up till she found you after you gained your memories that wound was sealed. I have no problems with you being married to Emily." Bucky was glad of the fact that Demeter and Hades didn't mind that he didn't ask for permission to marry Emily and both were fine with him being with Emily. He knew that Emily felt hurt and lost after what happened to Steve and himself, that was something he didn't want to happen again. When Emily and Bucky went back to the cabin that they went to bed, Emily fell asleep almost at once, Bucky looked at her remembering when he asked her to marry him all this years ago.

They were on Zeus' fist, the same spot of where Bucky asked her to be his girlfriend and he couldn't think of a better spot to ask her to be his wife. He was nervous of what he was going to do, for he wanted to make this special. He couldn't think of a better spot or a better day this asking Emily on a Christmas Eve, expect for the next day or New Years eve. Bucky wasn't sure if Emily noticed of how nervous he was, he hoped that she didn't notice of nervous he was. After a few minutes of watching the stars and silence that Bucky spoke.

"Emily?"

"Yes."

"What will happen after the war?"

"Hopefully a break and I would be able to live more normally."

"What about us?" Bucky watched as Emily lifted her head to look at him, he panic slightly, for he thought that she may not see them after the war. But her words let the panic die.

"I still see us after the war." Bucky was happy to hear that band kissed her, as he kissed her that he pulled out the box from his pocket. When he pulled away that Emily noticed that he has a box in his hand and he opened it to revels the engagement ring he found for her.

"Will you marry me?" When Bucky asked that, that Emily kissed him before she answered his question.

"Yes." Bucky smiled when she said that no sputter ring on her finger, neither one of them were sure of what may happen during the war and decided to have the wedding soon and have it small. So in March, they got married at camp Halfblood, hat day and night was Bucky's best day Bucky had so for. Bucky was sure that Emily would agree to that. Though what happened in April later that year would be the worst day Bucky and Emily ever had together. That was the day he fell from the train as Steve tried to save him, he was sure Steve would put that day as one of his worst days as well. After thinking of that memory and looking at Emily that he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Emily's pov

Emily didn't have a hard time of going to sleep that night, it was hard not to since she was on her bed with Bucky laying next to her. When the sunlight hit her face that she woke up, she got up and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. Yes, she was aware of the fact that she didn't need to make breakfast for all she has to do was clap her hands and the good would appear. Emily done that before, but she still enjoys cooking and she assumed it was something that came from her mother. As Emily made breakfast that Bucky got up and left the room, apparently he decided to take his shirt off before leaving the room since he was only wearing his pajama bottoms, of course his hair was messed up as usually, but he had his hair cut since Emily found him here all those months ago. As Bucky entered the kitchen that he kissed her cheek before he took out a couple of pop tarts and out them in the toast. This he looked at her before he spoke.

"You know you can just make food appear you know."

"True, you could have easily used fire or even warm your hand up to warm up the pop tarts." Emily looked over at Bucky before she went on. "Besides, the food would taste the same no matter whether I cook them or make them appear." Bucky was about ready to say something when Emily's cell phone started to ring, Emily raised an eyebrow when it started to ring. She has an idea it was Phil wanting for something to do with S.H.I.E.L.D., Emily went over to pick it up. When she looked at the name that she was surprised that Natasha was calling her at this time of the day. Emily accepted the call before she put it to her ear and spoke. "Is there a reason you are calling me at this hour?"

"Yes, I know that Steve, Phil and yourself, as well as couple of others, are demigods. So I need to ask you something."

"Get to the point, Natasha."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to know if there is any other groups of demigods out there besides the demigods at Camp Halfblood." Emily's stomach started to churn when Natasha said that, did S.H.I.E.L.D. learn about Camp Jupiter. Camp Jupiter was something she never told anyone, even Bucky, Steve snd Phil, even with how much she wanted to tell them about Camp Jupiter. But she needed to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to that.

"Is there a reason of why they need to know about any other groups of demigods?"

"Well it's just from time to time that S.H.I.E.L.D. had spotted or followed someone that might be a demigod but they vanished when they reached the Caldecott Tunnel." Emily started to panic, she knows what happen there and she couldn't tell anyone about that.

"Natasha, I can't help you or S.H.I.E.L.D. with this."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't give you an answer to what you are asking me."

"So you are saying you know nothing?"

"Natasha, I just can't give you or S.H.I.E.L.D. an answer to that question."

"So you know something. Tell me, are those demigods that we have spotted that are part of other gods?"

"I can't tell you."

"Give me a good reason."

"I will give you a great reason. A war will start, it will be like the American civil war. It could mean the end of the world. It would be better if S.H.I.E.L.D. forgets about any demigod that might be from any other gods."

"It can't be worse than the battle of Manhattan."

"I can think it much worse things that, including of what I just told you. So please for the sake of the world itself, don't go looking for at other groups of demigods." Natasha didn't say anything for a few moments, Emily could hear her talking to someone and than Natasha had spoke.

"We will do this only one condition. That is if you are bound to the river Styx about other groups of demigods. You have to promise that when you are able you can tell S.H.I.E.L.D. anything about other demigods if you will."

"I am bound by the river Styx and I will promise to at least tell you some things but not the whole thing. I am not even sure if I know the full story, even if I did, I am not sure of how much I could tell you."

"Fair enough." Natasha hung up, Emily put the cell phone down and put her hands over her face as Bucky walked over to her.

"What was that about?" Emily lowered her hands looked at Bucky.

"Nothing you don't need to worry about?" Emily walked back to the kitchen to resumed of what she was doing as Bucky followed her.

"What about groups of another demigods?" Emily signed when Bucky did that, than she looked at Bucky

"Bucky, I can't say anything about that." Emily lowered her head before going on. "For it is not time for you to know, honestly I would tell you if I could but I can't. For I swore on the river Styx that I wouldn't tell anyone." As soon as she said that, that she felt Bucky wrapped his arms around her. Suddenly there was a scream from outside.


	15. Chapter 15

Emily looked to the door as the scream came again, panic swelled inside of her when she heard the scream. She knows that scream for she heard it before, she wondered why she was even in New York in the first place. Emily got out Bucky's arms and went to the door as she spoke.

"Stay here, Bucky."

"But I want to go with and help." Emily turned to looked at Bucky.

"I know that Bucky. But with this, you can't help, I can't let you for reasons I wish I could tell and explain to you but I can't. Not unless if you come across and learn about it or even one of the gods tell you."

"You said that to Natasha on the phone or at least I assume it was Natasha."

"It was, but I can't tell you why I can't let you come. I wished I could and let you come." Emily looked at him and he looked at her, she knows he could tell she means what he said but he wasn't thrilled about staying here. He signed and nodded, Emily turned and left the cabin, as soon as she was outside that she ran towards the screaming and yelling. As she ran that she snapped her fingers and her appearance changed into her daughter of hades appearance. Something she hadn't used all that much since Bucky found the cabin. There was only a few times she did when she found a roman demigod, with the Greek demigods she didn't bother with it since Bucky was with her and the Greek demigods knew who she was when Colonel Phillips gave her new Lieutenant USA uniform. The roman demigods know that Emily Barnes was alive but they didn't know that Emily Barnes and Rachel Blackthrone were one and the same woman. As she ran that she took her necklace off and swished it so it became her Stygian sword. It didn't toes long for Emily to reach of where Jennifer was.

She reached the edge of a clearing, there was gold dust everywhere in the clearing and it was clear a battle happened as well as happening at the moment. There were three monsters left, the Manitcore and two Dracaenae, not only that but there were also three demigods in thor clearing. Reyna, daughter of Nellona, Jason Grace, son of Jupiter and Jennifer Richards, daughter of Pluto and Emily's half sister. All three were battle worn and they had some cuts, words and scars from fighting, Jennifer was the one that was worst in shape. For Jennifer has an open wound on her side as well as another open wound on her shoulder. Jason was the one in best shape but she knows that he won't hotel much longer, not with how Reyna and Jennifer were. Reyna had a couple of wounds but there were not as bad as Jennifer's wounds. Jennifer was up against a tree in the ground, she tried to stand up but failed. It was than that one of the Dracaenae knocked out Reyna as Jennifer fell back down onto the ground.

The Dracaenae lifted her sword ready for the kill while Jason was knocked away by the other Dracaenae before he could try to help Reyna. Emily used shadow travel as went in front of Reyna just as the Dracaenae went for the kill and Emily blocked it. The strength Emily put into the block as well as the sudden appearance by using shade travel caused the Dracaenae to go backwards some, the Dracaenae looked at her and hissed. Emily raised her sword as the Dracaenae charged at her, just as the Dracaenae reached her that she knocked the sword out of the Dracaenae's hand before putting the sword into it's heart. The Dracaenae turned into gold dust, the other Dracaenae charged at her as well but she has no weapons so Emily cut off her head. Emily than turned to the Manitcore, the same monster that chased her through the very same woods eight years earlier. But he has no idea that she was that girl he tried to killed all those years ago, when she looked at him with her sword in her hand that he laughed. Emily gripped her sword tighter, she knows that a couple of things might happen, one he would charge at her or he would say something. However the Manitcore spoke.

"Well, another daughter of Pluto and over the age of sixteen. I am surprised that the great prophecy hasn't happened yet."

"It hasn't happen because that prophecy was made over sixty years ago and I was already passed the age of sixteen when the prophecy was made." The Manitcore tilted his head when she said that and looked at her.

"So you are immortal than. I would think that you would be in the underworld, no matter if you are immortal or not."

"Not during this time of the year." When Emily said that, that the Manitcore lunged at her while Emily barely managed to block the attack since it happened rather quickly. Emily kept fighting the manticore for who knows of how long, she knows it was longer than Jason, Reyna and Jennifer had been fighting. However Emily has more training than the others, she even has some roman training as well as her Greek training. Hades and Hestia trained her in her new powers in the first three years and Emily learned of how to use it on her own since than. She also got extra training from the dead, so she was able to match the Manticore head on after the first attack. It seems that the manticore was surprised of well she was able to feed him off of herself, so he spoke.

"I am surprised that you managed this long, not ever your half sister could go this long." Just after he size that, that his tail jabbed towards her stomach but she moved but not in time. The till didn't hit her stomach but it hit her arm instead, one of the spikes managed to into her skin as the manticore pulled away. He smirked when he saw the spike in her arm, but it quickly faded as Emily looked at him with a small smile. Emily pulled the spike out of her arm, as soon as she removed it that the skin healed of where it was and the manticore looked at her in surprise. "What's this?" Emily stabbed him in the heart with the spike, he walked backwards in shock, Emily this spoke,

"Never use poison on a champion of Vesta or even one who was blessed by Ceres." The manticore remained shock as he turned into gold dust, Emily stood up form her kneeling position and swish the sword so that it turned back into the necklace. Jason was trying to wake up Reyna, Jason managed to put some nectar on Reyna's wounds to help her heal. This she walked over to Jennifer of who looked at her and smiled weakly. Emily knelt down besides her before putting her hand over the wounds and started to help the wounds. When Emily managed to get most of the wounds that she gave Jennifer some ambrosia and nectar to eat and drink to help finish the healing process. Jennifer still looked the same, or almost the same, from about a year ago, her skin was still pale, her hair was black as well as her eyes but there was a gleam of madness or genius in her eyes. However Jennifer gained a couple of inches from the looks of it and she was gaining a warrior's build. Emily went over to Reyna and finished healing her wounds before putting her hand over Reyna's forehead, after a minute Jason spoke.

"Well, is she going to be all right? What about Jennifer?" Emily looked at Jason before looking at Jennifer of who trying to stood up, when Jennifer looked at Emily that she saw back down. Emily than looked back at Jason, Emily knows that Jennifer and Jason become close with each other in the past few months but she knows that nothing romantic would happen between them. For Emily knows that Jennifer doesn't think of Jason like that in any way, for Emily question Jennifer about shortly after the battle of the labyrinth happened. Than Jennifer has no idea about that battle that happened at Camp Halfblood. As far as Emily knows that Jason and Reyna hadn't started dating and that Jason doesn't see Reyna in that way or at least as far as Emily knows.

"She will be fine, they both will be find but they would need some time to heal though. Reyna would need some nectar. I know a place nearby of where you guys take a rest. You carry Reyna." Jason picked Reyna up while emilymhelped Jennifer up and walk, Emily knows that she would have to explain this to Bucky as well as tell him about her second appearance but she will do so after Jason, Reyna and Jennifer leaves. After a few minutes that they entered the clearing where her cabin was, Bucky was outside and he was practicing with his fire ability, he looked up when he saw the four of them. He looked rather confused, but he didn't say anything yet too they were inside and after Jason put Reyna on the couch and Emily helped Jennifer into a chair.

"Who are you?" Before Emily could say or do anything that Jason looked over at Bucky and spoke up.

"I am Jason grace, son of Jupiter." He nodded to Reyna. "She is Reyna, daughter of Bellona. That is Jennifer Richards, daughter of Pluto." Emily wanted to smack herself on ether forehead, Emily looked over at Bucky who seemed even more confused than ever before.

"You are children of the roman gods?" It seem Jason was a bit surprised when Bucky said that, Jason spoke up once more.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"James 'Bucky' Barnes." When Bucky said that, that Jennifer spoke up suddenly.

"Wait a moment, you mean Bucky Barnes of the howling commando, best friend of Captain America, son of Ceres, and husband of Lieutenant USA, daugther of Ceres." Emily giggled when she saw Bucky's face, he looked surprised but yet baffled that Jennifer knows him. But than Japan spoke up.

"But you can't be, you fell off that train and died." Jennifer looked over at Jason.

"He never died, remember I am a daughter of Pluto, I can sense when someone is dead. I don't have the kind of powers that Rachel has. But I have enough of that sense to know that Bucky never died." Jennifer looked over at Emily. "Or at least that is what I can figure out. But I can't say that for sure that he is Bucky. You spent the most time in the underworld though." Bucky looked over at Emily, he was about ready to say something but Emily spoke.

"He is Bucky Barnes, I was in World War II. He never died and somehow managed to live through that fell. Of how he managed to live through that, I am not sure." Bucky looked at her oddly when she spoke, her voice never change when her appearance changed. She was sure Bucky was a bit confused at the moment, she needed to task to him about this three as well as her second appearance. "Bucky and I need to task though, Jason, the nectar and Ambrosia are in the kitchen above the fridge and don't use your wind power."

"That sucks." Emily glared at him and he shrank under her glare.

"You are tall enough to get to it without using the wind." Emily and Bucky walked out of the cabin and went to a few feet into the forest before Emily stopped, Bucky quickly followed suit. Bucky spoke first.

"Emily?" Emily snapped her fingers and her appearance changed back to how Bucky was used to seeing her as.

"Yes, when Hades adopted me that he gave me a second appearance without meaning to. It came in handy for the last many years."

"How come you never told me about it?"

"I didn't need to till now." Bucky looked to where the cabin was before looking back at Emily.

"You knew about the Romans gods existing?"

"I do, that is why I told Natasha that it was dangerous to look up any other groups besides the Greeks. For if the Romans and the Greeks knew about each other that they could destroy each other and start another war. This is why I couldn't tell you earlier."

"The gods could help to prevent the two sides from fighting each other."

"If the Romans and Greeks knew about each other, the gods won't be any good. You see, the gods have a certain aspect depending on where they reside in the western civilization. If they been at that civilization at they would gain another aspect of which happened with the Roman Empire." Bucky's eyes went wide, Emily nodded. "Yes Bucky, the roman gods are also the Greek gods but with different names and different personalities. If the Romans and the Greeks were aware of each other than each side of themselves would be trying to take over and they have a spilt personality disorder."

"Are you roman? What about Steve and myself, are we roman?"

"No, Steve, you and myself are Greek. All the campers in camp Halfblood are Greeks. But here is another camp for the Romans. But I need you to swear on the river Styx not to tell anyone about what I told you, even Steve."

"Even Steve? What about Lauren?"

"Neither Lauren or Steve can know about it, even with how much I want to tell them, I can't tell them. Not unless if they stumble across a roman demigod. I am sorry, but they can't know." Bucky nodded, he didn't seem like the idea either.

"I swear on the river Styx that I won't tell anyone do what you told me." Thunder rumbled, Emily nodded when Bucky made that oath.

"One more thing, the Romans are unaware of my two appearance and names. As far as they know that I am Rachel Blackthrone, daughter of Pluto and champion of Vesta."

"All right, so I assume that the other appearance is the appearance they see you in?"

"Yes. Come on." Emily snapped her fingers and her appearance changed to the daughter of Hades appearance, when they entered the cabin that Jennifer was able to move around somewhat. Reyna just woke up when Bucky and Emily entered the cabin, when they entered that Reyna looked over at Bucky,

"So it is true that you are not dead."

"Yes it is true, I am not dead." Emily walked over to Reyna.

"Are you all right?"

"I have been better." Emily nodded, Emily was about ready to go to the kitchen to get them something to eat when Reyna had spoke. "I am glad we found you." Emily looked over at Reyna when she said that. Emily wondered why Reyna said that.

"Why is that?" Reyna sat up more properly before going on.

"You see we were giving a quest and it is proven to be taking longer than it should be. You are the only person we can ask for help. We need to know about Percy Jackson."

"What? Why?" The look on Reyna's face told Emily that she was surprised that Emily hadn't asked her of who Percy Jackson was.

"You know him?"

"We have meet before but you haven't answered my question. Why do you need to know about him?" It was Jason who spoke up.

"Remember the prophecy of the child of the big three?"

"Of course, what of it?"

"We believe Percy is the one in the prophecy. So do you know where he is?" Emily sighed when Reyna hd said that, yes, Emily knows where he was or at least during the summer, she is aware that Percy leaves camp during the school year. She knows that he lives in New York City during the school year, but where he was in New York City was beyond her.

"There are a couple of places of where I can think of where he is but it would be too dangerous for you three to go there."

"Why?"

"Well for one thing there is a lot of monsters there, if you hadn't notice. Besides you know it's bad luck to come here to the east."

"Can't you tell us of those two places are?"

"No, I can't tell you that. When you get back to camp just tell them that you couldn't find him."

"What about the prophecy?" Emily looked over at Jason when he said that.

"You, out everyone, should know that one shouldn't try to figure out prophecies or even to temper with them. Remember what happened to Michael Varus?" All three of them lowered their heads as Emily looked at them before going on. "I know that with this war that you feel that you need to play a hand. But I can safely say that it may not be a best idea to find Percy and take him to Camp Jupiter for it could raise another problem. It would be best to leave him of where he is. Trust me on this, the prophecy will happen soon enough. I will let you stay here till you three are up to travel again." All three of them nodded when Emily said that, they spend the next four days at the cabin, Emily added a dew. Ore rooms for them to sleep. She made one for Bucky so that they didn't as questions of why Emily and Bucky were sharing a room. When they were strong enough that he left to start their journey back to Camp Jupiter, as Emily and Bucky watch the three of them leave that Bucky put his arms around her before he spoke.

"Emily, I am curious will I be able to see Camp Jupiter, someday." Emily looked as the sun started to set and the sky started to get dark once more.

"I am sure that you will see Camp Jupiter one day. For soon, I will have to make it known to them of who am I really. However I would most likely still use my daughter of Hades when I go there even after telling them."

"Why?"

"I got use to, not only that but I think it would be a bit odd to walk around in my normal appearance in Camp Jupiter. Besides I would most likely still use my other appearance just make so that I don't get crowded on the streets by people because I am Lieutenant USA." Bucky laughed when Emily said that.


	16. Chapter 16

When their wedding anniversary came around a month later that Emily and Bucky went to Camp Jupiter. For two reasons, one it was because it was their anniversary and two because Emily decided to reveal that she was Emily Barnes. When Emily brought to the tunnel that he was confused till they were facing the two guards, one of them being Hazel. Emily did tell Hazel and the other guard that Bucky was with her so they let them both pass, well they would have to with Emily. Once they reached the end of the tunnel that they stopped, Bucky stared out at Camp Jupiter as it lay there in front of him. Emily slightly slightly as she watched Bucky, for she reacted in a similar manner as Bucky did when Hades showed her Camp Jupiter all those years ago. When Hades told her about Camp Jupiter that Emily thought Camp Jupiter would look like Camp Halfblood. Bucky thought the same thing as well, neither one expected to see what it looked like when they first saw Camp Jupiter. Bucky than looked over at Emily after he looked at Camp Jupiter for a minute.

"You never said that it look like this of where it's a small replica of Rome."

"Would you have believed if I told you?"

"Thinking of it, no." Emily smiled, than they finished making their way to camp, once they were inside the camp that the Romans looked at them in surprise. Emily been here long enough to know that the Romans spoke of Captain America, Lieutenant USA, Lauren Huntington but now Lauren Rogers, and Bucky Barnes often. They all know who Emily was though she was in her daughter of Hades appearance. When dinner came around that Emily revealed to Camp Jupiter of who she was really since Camp Jupiter knows that she was not dead anymore but told them not to treat her any differently than he have done. She also told them that she was adopted by Hades to clear up confusion and explain her second appearance to them. Emily didn't bother to change her appearance for the rest of the trip till the last day, up till than that it felt like the Romans were putting Bucky and herself up high. On the last day she changed her appearance to how the Romans saw her usual, when she did that, that they treated as they usual did. After a week that Emily and Bucky went back to the cabin.

The following month that the tower was finished as well as the mansion, so Emily and Bucky moved into the tower. During that time that Hades told her that Bucky could come down to the underworld with her and leave with her. He also told her it would be better if she stay above do to the war, even if though Hades refused to get involved. Persephone followed suit and oddly enough her mother went to the underworld as Hades guest. Sure they got along somewhat better after Hades adopted her but Hades incited Demeter down and Persephone remain down here was unusual. She felt sorry for Nico at the moment since he has his step mother and step mother in law down here as well as Hades. She knows Nico can to we care of himself and everything but she knows that Nico didn't get along with Persephone or her mother too well. More so after Persephone turned Nico into a flower after an argument, of which was something she never did with Arabella. Emily doubted that would ever happen, considering that Persephone helped raise Arabella along with Hades, Emily and Severus. However Emily didn't have the time to think about stuff like that for the next few months with the war happening.

August came around, it seems like half of the time, Emily, Steve, Bucky or Lauren would have to do something to help with the war. They always managed to return to the Avenger tower by the end of the day, even though there was eight avengers, they were one short at the moment since Arabella was in the underworld currently as well as Nico. Emily knows that Hades, Persephone, Demeter, Nico and Arabella were not fighting in the war. Emily didn't bother to question that fact, since she was busy enough as it was at the moment, Emily was rather glad that she wasn't in the underworld now. For she would most likely be bored, be taking care of the spirits, or have her ear being talked off by not eating enough cereal. At the moment, Emily, Steve, Lauren, Bucky and the avengers were eating breakfast and the T.V. was on. The news was talking about a bunch of freak storms that has been happening, Emily figured of what the freak storm was. She looked away from her food at the screen. Emily was right, though Emily was sure that it would appear differently to the mortals through the mist on the T.V. than it did for her. For she could see huge feet, legs and half of a huge body, she knew it was Typhon for it couldn't be anyone else. The other half of the body was either covered by the storm or the T.V.

Emily knows what was happening and knew that the gods were fighting Typhon at the moment. Typhon was a storm giant or the father of all monsters, just like Echidna was the mother of all monsters and Typhon's wife. Not all monsters were children of Typhon and Echidna of which Emily was glad of, it seems like a good amount of the monsters came from the two of them. Emily looked back as Tony started to talk once more, Emily was sure that if her mother was here that she would tell Tony off for eating with his mouth full and tell him to ear more cereal as well. She would tell everyone to eat more cereal that was in the room currently, that what her mother does. Tony stopped midway, of which surprised Emily till he started to rub his eyes of which was a bit odd for Tony to do at this time of the day. That was not only, for Bruce, Clint and Natasha were also rubbing their eyes as they were just waking up or going to sleep. Than one by one their heads fell forward, their heads either were lowered to their chest or landed on the table but in Tony's case his face hit his food. Emily would have laughed when Tony's face hit his food, but there was something wrong here, for the four of them wouldn't go to sleep at the same time not would they go to sleep at the table. However, Emily, Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Thor didn't fall asleep when the others fell asleep. Emily and the others tried to wake the four up, but it was no use, so Emily spoke up after she tried to walk up Natasha.

"It's no use." Steve looked over at Emily when she said that.

"What is wrong with them? They were awake a few minutes ago. They should be awake and they don't fell asleep at the same time." Emily walked onto the Terrance on the main level of the avengers tower, the very same Terrance of where Tony lands in his iron man suit. Emily too end something when she was trying to wake up the four that fell asleep, that she could hear New York. There was always sounds in New York, but she couldn't anything, when she walked onto the Terrance that all she heard was silence. Emit reached the edge of the Terrance and gasp as Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Thor joined her. Sure there were cars and people down there, but the traffic wasn't move even if some of the lights were green. Not only that but every person hat she could see was fast asleep, just like Tony, Natasha, Clint and Bruce. Thor spoke,

"What is this, I never seen this before." Emily looked to the Empire State Building of which was across the street and down the block. She coils see amount Olympus above it, like usual when she steps out into the Terrance with Bucky or one of the others. The others followed her gaze as a ball of light was heading towards Mount Olympus, when it was close to Mount Olympus that the ball bounced right odd. Emily looked down at the sleepng people before she spoke.

"It's Morpheus." Emily pointed to the sleeping people down below them before she pointed at another ball that was heading towards Mount Olympus and the ball was stopped once more. "That is Hecate."

"Hecate?" Emily looked over at Bucky when he said Hecate, he looked at her. "Why would she join the titans?"

"For starters, she is one herself. Another thing is the minor gods feel that they are not important compare to the major gods like Zeus or even Hades, it was something that I heard Hecate talk to Persephone before. But Persephone didn't agree with her, I think that is mostly because she is almost always in the presence of Hades or Demeter or . . . Never mind on the last person. Come on pm we need to figure out what is going on. For whatever spell is put in place is not affect demigods or gods." Emily looked at Thro when she said Gods, for Thor was not a Demigod but he was not a god compared to the Greek gods. Emily walked over to the elevator followed closely by the others that were awake and she spoke once more. "J.A.R.V.I.S." Emily hoped that the spell didn't affect J.A.R.V.I.S.

"Yes, Miss Barnes." Emily sighed in relief when she heard J.A.R.V.I.S., she wasn't sure of he might be affect. She wasn't sure if he could be out asleep or if he would be turned off.

"Open the elevator and take it down to the ground level."

"Will do, Miss Barnes." The elevator opened just as Emily and the others reached it, once they see inside that the elevator went to the ground floor. When the elevator reached the ground floor that they left the building and looked around, Emily was about ready to say something when there was a shout.

"Emily!" Emily looked over to where the shout came from she looked just in time, for someone ran over to her and collided with Emily. As a result, Emily fell down into the sidewalk with the said person on top of her, Emily looked up to see Katie on too of her. Not only that but the other children of Demeter gathered around them, there was about twelve total, four were her brothers while the other eight were her sisters, among them was Miranda. Miranda was another half siblings that Emily took to camp besides Phil, unlike when she first meet Phil that she knew that Miranda was her half sibling. As Katie got off of Emily mad Emily got up that Bucky, Steve ad Thor were looking at the Demeter Campers confused but Lauren was close of falling down and laughing her head off. When Emily stood up and nudged one of the mortals on the sidewalk with her foot that she spoke.

"Katie, what is going?"

"This is Kronos' doing, this is the final battle of the war." Emily wanted to bring Arabella up to show her the tower, Hades told her would let Arabella to up for the last couple weeks of the summer to see it. Emily was glad of the fact that Arabella wasn't up here right now, for she has enough to worry about her half siblings from her mother than adding tow other half siblings. Emily was slightly worried about Camp Jupiter and wondered what must going on over there. Emily was worried of what may happen to Jennifer and Hazel, but she can't worry about them not now. There was so much more than at of what she was worried about with his whole war and of how it lead to this. Emit was deep in thought when Thor manage to drag Emily out of her thoughts by talking.

"Who is Kronos?" Emily, her half siblings, Lauren, Steve and Bucky looked at Thor, Thor was a Norse god, even though he knew some things of the Greek gods that he didn't know all of it.

"He is a Titan, the king of Titan and the Titan of time. He is my grandfather and I wish I didn't have him as a grandfather." After Emily said that, that Steve spoke up,

"Hang on, he is my grandfather too?" Emily looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Well duh, we are twins."

"Hold it." Katie looked at all five of them before going on. "I know who you are." Katie nodded to Steve. "That is obvious. But who are the other three."

"I am Lauren Huntington Rogers, wife of Steve and daughter of Zeus."

"Bucky Barnes, son of Notus and husband of Emily Rogers Barnes." When Bucky said that, that her half siblings were surprised, her half siblings looked at they were wearing. Emily knows they see her rings before but they never question the rings though and they heard of Lauren and Bucky but she was sure that they never of ever meeting them before.

"I am Thor Odinson, god of thunder." Katie and the rest of her half siblings looked shock when Thor said that. Katie looked at Emily shock, Emily nodded before she spoke.

"Yes, Katie, the Norse gods are real."

"I never thought the other stories of the gods exist. But this great though, at least we have one god fighting with us as long as he is not bounded by the laws."

"He is not, Katie, the laws that bind our gods do not effect Thor and the Asgardians. Besides he made a promise to protect this earth. I am sure we can use his help in this battle that we are going to face. I am assume that our gods are fighting Typhon?"

"All but Uncle Hades, Persephone, uncle Poseidon, our mother and the wind gods of who are defended Mount Olympus though the air, the other minor gods have joined Kronos."

"I was aware about Hades, Persephone and our mother. But I was unaware of the fact that Poseidon not fighting in the war, that is not like him."

"He is fighting his own war."

"Figures, that is about the only reason he is not with the other gods." Emily looked over at Thor of who looked very confused, Emily once tried to explain the godly world that she was part of to him but he didn't quite grasp it. He managed to understand some parts of it but not all of it. "I will try to explain more to you later, Thor."

Emily noticed that there other demigods coming out of the Empire State Building,Emily and the others that were with her went over to the Empire State Building. Emily could see Mrs. O'Leary bounding around with Thron, from how they were acting that they were happy that the city was asleep. Emily was at least glad that Mrs. O'Leary has another playmate besides Fluffy to play with, more so since Fluffy was still a puppy. She knows it sounds odd with how big Fluffy but Mrs. O'Leary was bigger than Fluffy. When Emily reached the group of demigods that she noticed that Percy and Annabeth were in front and Argus was rummaging around in the back of a van. Emily noticed that Thor was looking at Argus oddly, she couldn't blame him for when she meet Argus the first time that she was close of screaming her head of and go to a corner of the room because she was close of freaking out she was when she saw him with his eyes all over his body. Argus brought out a bronze shield, one that Emily knows from the plans she seen Colonel Phillips work during the war after she learned of who he really was that is. Colonel Phillips didn't mind working on his inventions when it was just him or it was just him and Emily. When Argus handed the shield to Annabeth that he looked at Lauren and Emily before he gestured with his hands, it was Lauren who spoke.

"Yes, Argus. We are staying here to help." Before anything else could be said between Lauren and Argus that Annabeth put the shield down on the ground in front of her. As soon as it touched the ground that the reflection on the polished metal changed from sky and buildings to the statue of liberty. Steve, Lauren, Bucky and Thor were surprised when they saw this, Emily wasn't surprised that Steve, Lauren ad Bucky were surprised but Thor shouldn't be since he must have seen things like this shield before on Asgard. Lauren spend a far amount of time in the godly world but there some things that Emily was sure that Lauren hadn't seen before. Steve and Bucky didn't have much contact with the godly world expect for pretty much Emily and Lauren. So Emily and Lauren been filling gaps in for them about the modern world and the godly world for getting close to a year now. However it was Percy who spoke.

"Whoa, a video shield."

"One of Daedalus's ideas, I had Beckendorf make this before - " Annabeth paused before looking at own of the Aphrodite girls, Emily looked at the girl and realized of who she was. Emily heard about Silena as well as her boyfriend, when she visited Camp Halfblood yesterday that Emily learned about the one ship eloped and killed one of the campers that was on board. Emily figured that must have been Silena's boyfriend, plus Emily was close by when the judgement was passed on the camper. "Um, anyway, the shield bends sunlight or moonlight from anywhere in the world to create a reflection. You can literally see any target under the sun or moon, as long as natural light is touching it. Look." Everyone crowded around as Annabeth concentrated, the images went rather fast as Annabeth went past them.

"Whoa, Back up. Zoom in right there."

"What? You see invaders?" Emily looked at the Stoll twins, there were times of when those two reminded Emily of the Weasley twins.

"No, right there - Dylan's Candy Bar. Dude, it's open. And everyone is asleep. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Connor! This is serious. You are not going to loot a candy store in the middle of a war!" Emily looked over at Katie when she said that, it seems like Katie was always the one that was most like their mother. Before Katie was born that Phil said Emily was the most like their mother, but after meeting Katie, they agreed that it was Katie was most like their mother.

"Sorry." Connor muttered when he said that, but he didn't sound like he was very ashamed if which isn't a big surprise.

"Conner, Travis. After this war is over, I can take you two to this one school for a field trip and pull a couple pranks on this one student there of who is a great big pain."

"Really, what school is this?"

"You would love it, it's a magical school. You can use magic to pull pranks among other things. I know a couple of prankster that will come along with you to prank this one student."

"Emily!" Emily looked over at Katie when Katie said that. "Don't make them worse than what they are."

"I am not, I am going to let the two pranksters at the school to make them worse. Besides they would only be there for a week. But I would have to talk to some people in order to do that though."

"Emily! I beg of you." Emily smirked, Emily was not daughter of Aphrodite but she knew Katie well enough to know that part of the reason of why the rivalry between her, Travis and Conner exist is because she likes Travis. It was also clear that Travis likes her too, but it seems like they won't admit to each other.

"You just begging me because you are too much like our mother." Emily wanted to add the fact that she liked Travis but kept her mouth closed on that though. "Besides it is not like they are going to prank the Demeter cabin. Besides the Hermes cabin in my day was harder to deal with than the one today. However, I was the only one in the Demeter cabin, expect for the one time Steve and Bucky were there. I think that is what makes the difference now." But than Annabeth spoke up before Emily and Katie could go on.

"This will let us see what's going on across the city. Thank you, Argus. Hopefully we'll see you back at camp . . . someday." Argus grunted, than he gave Percy a look that meant good luck you'll need it. Than he climbed into the van and drive off with the other two vans, the vans had weaved around the cars that were littering the road. Than Percy whistled for Thron of who came bounded over.

"Hey, boy, You remember Grover? The satyr we met in the park?"

"WOOF!"

"I need you to find him. Make sure he's still awake. We're going to need his help. You got that? Find Grover!" Thron gave Percy a sloppy wet kiss before he raced off north. Pollux crouched next to a sleeping policeman.

"I don't get it. Why didn't we fall asleep too? Why just the mortals?"

"This is a huge spell. The bigger the spell, the easier it is to resist. If you want to sleep millions of mortals, you've got to cast a very thin layer of magic. Sleeping demigods is much harder." Emily looked over Silena whine she said that, it seems that Silena did a bit of reading on magic.

"When did you learn so much about magic?"

"I don't spend all my time on my wardrobe." Emily smiled slightly when Silena said that, Aphrodite campers were known for their wardrobe and love advice. It was fun to watch and listen when one of them brings up something that no one expects them to know.

"Percy, You'd better see this." Emily looked back at the shield, the image was showing Long Island near La Guardia. There was a fleet of a dozen speedboats racing through the dark water towards Manhattan. The boats were packed with demigods in full Greek armor, at the back of the lead boat was a purple banned emblazoned with a black scythe that was flapping in the night wind. Emily never saw that design before, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that the flat was the battle flag of Kronos.

"Scan the perimeter of the island. Quick." The scene changed to the south of the harbor, there was a Staten Island ferry plowing through the waves near Ellis Island. The deck was crowded with Dracaenaes and a whole pack of Hellhounds, swimming in front of the ship was Telkhines. Than the scene shifted again to the jersey shore, there were hundred assorted monsters that were marching past the lanes of stopped traffic. There were giants with clubs, rogue Cyclops, some fire spitting dragons, what bothered Emily the most about the scene was a World War II Sherman tank and it was pushing cars out of it's way as it tumbled into the tunnel.

"What's happening with the mortals outside Manhattan? Is the whole state asleep?"

"I don't think so, but it's strange. As far as I can tell from these pictures, Manhattan is totally asleep. Then there's like a fifty-mile radius around the island where time is running really, really slow. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it is." Another scene appeared, a New Jersey highway was showed. It was Saturday evening and the traffics wasn't as bad as it might have been on a weekdays. However the drivers looked awake though but the cars were moving slowly and the birds were flying overhead in slow motion.

"Kronos, He's slowing time."

"Hecate might be helping. Look how the cars are all veering away from the Manhattan exits, like they're getting a subconscious message to turn back."

"I don't know. But somehow they've surrounded Manhattan in layers of magic. The outside world might not even realize something is wrong. Any mortals coming toward Manhattan will slow down so much they won't know what's happening."

"Like flies in amber."

"We shouldn't expect any help coming in." Percy turned to the demigods, all of them were stunned and/or scared, expect for Thor of who was always ready for a fight, he was grasping his hammer in his hand. From the looks of that the shield showed about three hundred enemies on the way to Manhattan, but there was a total of forty five demigods, including Emily, Steve, Lauren, Bucky and Thor. Emily, Steve and Thor been in a similar spot like this, Lauren joined in latter but this was different though. They were fighting aliens than, but Greek monsters were a different matter all together, even with Thor, Emily wasn't sure of how long they could hold out. Even with forty other demigods. Emily knows that this fight was going to be different the the one she faced with Loki and his army. Unlike that last battle, Emily didn't need to worry about Bucky for Bucky was still lost at that time though Emily would learn of what happened to him later on.

"All right, We're going to hold Manhattan." Bucky looked over at Emily, form the look he has told Emily that he was wondering of who they could hold off these monsters. Emily merely shrugged when he looked at her.

"Um, Percy, Manhattan is huge."

"We are going to hold it, we have to."

"He's right. The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, so he'll try a ground assault. We have to cut off the entrances to the island." Emily spoke up.

"Besides this is not the first time I had been in a battle of where the odds were against me, last year Steve, Thor, myself and five others held off an alien army by ourselves." That seem to lifted their spirits some till one of the children of Apollo spoke.

"They have boats."

"I'll take care of the boats."

"How?"

"Just leave it to me, We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, at least on their first try. That would be the most direct way to the Empire State Building. Michael, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabin takes the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Grow thorn bushes and poison ivy in the tunnel. Do whatever you have to do, but keep them out of there! Conner, take half of Hermes cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and cover the Brooklyn Bridge. And no stopping for looting or pillaging!"

"Awwww!" Emily merely smiled before she shook her head when the Hermes cabin complained.

"Silena, take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel."

"Oh my gods, Fifth Avenue is so on our way! We could accessorize, and monsters, like, totally hate the smell of Givenchy." Emily shifted some so that Lauren could see her and what Emily was doing. Emily was pretend to gag, Lauren was close of laughing once more as Emily did that.

"No delays? Well . . . the perfume thing, if you think it'll work." Because Percy said that, that six of the Aphrodite girls kissed him on his cheek in excitement.

"All right, enough! The Holland Tunnel. Jake, take the Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you've got."

"Gladly. We've got a score to settle. For Beckendorf!" The Hephaestus cabin roared in approval,

"The 59th Street Bridge, Clarisse - " Percy faltered, it was than that Emily realized that the Ares cabin wasn't there but she didn't question of why the Ares cabin was not there though.

"We'll take that, Malcolm, take the Athena cabin, activate plan twenty-three along the way, just like I showed you. Hold that position." It seem Percy was happy that Annabeth managed to save him form that small embarrassment.

"You got it."

"I'll go with Percy, than we'll join you, or we'll go wherever we're needed." Than someone had shouted from the back.

"No detours, you two." There was some giggles coming from the demigods, mostly the Aphrodite can I though, but Percy didn't pay any heed to them.

"All right. Keep in touch with cell phones."

"We don't have cell phones." Percy reached down before picked up a snoring lady's blackberry, than Percy tossed it to Silena.

"You do now. You all know Annabeth's number, right? If you need us, pick up a random phone and call us. Use it once, drop it, then borrow another one if you have to. That should make it harder for the monsters to zero in on you." Everyone was grinning.

"Uh, if we find a really nice phone - "

"No, you can't keep it."

"Aw, man."

"Hold it, Percy. You forgot the Lincoln Tunnel." Emily was about ready to say that the five of them would take it but than a girl's voice called from across the street where the avengers tower was.

"How about you leave that to us?" Everyone turned when they heard the void,e Emily smiled as a band of fifty adolescent girls crossed fifth avenue. They all have white shirts, silvery camouflage pants, and combat boots, as well as having swords at their sides, quiver on their backs and bows at the trays. There were white timber wolves that hanging around their feet and many of the girls have hunting falcons on their arms. The lead girl was one Emily hadn't seen since before a few months of when she learned about Steve and when he woke up. The girl has spiky black hair, a black leather jacket as well as wearing a silver circlet on her head like a princess's tiara. The circlet didn't match her skull earrings or her death to Barbie t-shirt that has a Barbie doll with an arrow through it's head.

"Thalia!" Thalia grinned when Annabeth said that.

"The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty." There was hugs and greetings or at least from Thalia, the other hunters didn't like being around campers, more so with the males than the females. Thalia didn't bother to greet, for the last time they meet that Emily was in her daughter of Hades appearance as well as every time they meet before that. Emily meet Thalia first before she was turned into a tree, as well as a couple of times after that.

"Where have you been the last year? You've got like twice as many Hunters now!"

"Long, long story. I bet my adventures were more dangerous than yours, Jackson."

"Complete lie."

"We'll see, after this is over, you, Annabeth, and me: cheeseburgers and fries at that hotel on West 57th."

"Le Parker Meridien, You're on. And Thalia, thanks."

"Those monsters won't know what hit them." Emily spoke up.

"If you don't mind the five of us will help the hunters." When Emily said that, that Thalia and the hunters looked at her in surprise. Other than the Romans that there had been a few times of where Bucky wasn't with her here she took a girl to the hunters inn the last few months though there was only about four in the last year. Emily did that because she knows that those girls didn't trust men as easily as they did with women. Thalia tilted her hand and spoke. "Rachel?" Emily nodded when Thalia sisd that.

"Yes, I am Rachel, this is my natural appearance." Than another hunter spoke of which was Phoebe.

"But you are Lieutenant USA." Emily looked over at her before she spoke.

"Lieutenant USA and Rachel Blackthrone are one in the same." Thalia looked at the hunters of who nodded, this Thalia looked back at Emily.

"All right, come on. Hunters, move out!" Thalia slapped her silver bracelet and the shield Aegis went into full form, everyone backed away from the shield. For it always gives someone a feel of fear when they look at the shield, when Thalia brought it out that the hunters as well as Emily, Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Thor went them. When they reached the tunnel that they set up with Thalia, Emily, Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Thor in front. The falcons were on too of the tunnel while the wolves were just in front of the hunters but they were just behind Emily, after a few minutes of waiting that the tanker came into view. Emily looked at Steve and Bucky, Emily wasn't worried about Lauren or Thor, for she was sure Thor faced harder things. Lauren was used to facing an army of Monsters because of World War II, sure Steve and Bucky fought against monsters but they fought against an army of monsters before. Bucky looked over at her and he looked scared and Steve was looking at Lauren, Emily held her hand out to Bucky. Bucky took her hand before they looked back at the monsters.

Emily wasn't sure what may happen with the fighting that they were going to be doing or how much they may lose in this battle. Emily watched as the monsters and tank drew nearer, when the monsters and tank were close enough that the fighting started. The hunters started shooting arrows at the monsters, Thor swung his hammer and the sky darken and lightning started to flashed across the sky. The lightning hit some of the monsters, when that happened that the hunters looked shock at what Thor did. Thalia was the first to recover and send another bolt from the sky, Emily looked at Steve, Lauren and Bucky and they knew what she was thinking. The four of them charged in, all four of them were using their swords that their parents gave them, however Steve was also using his shield. Emily and Bucky managed to get to the tank and went inside, once is de they killed the monsters and took control of the tank, Emily took control of the driving while Bucky took control of the gun. As Bucky shot a couple of monsters that he spoke.

"I feel like we are fighting HYDRA again." When Emily started driving the tank, that she felt like she was also fighting HYDRA as well.

"I was thinking that too, expect this is not a HYDRA tank, not only that but the bullets are not made from the Tesseract but from celestial bronze."

"Tesseract?"

"Oh yeah, I forget. That was HYDRA's secret weapon during the war as oppose to the one after the war." Bucky merely nodded, he knew what she meant by that, for after the Tesseract was lost from HYDRA's grasp that they used Bucky. The monsters started to pull back, so Emily stopped the tanks and for a minute Bucky kept shooting till there was less of the monsters. When Bucky was done that they got out of the tank and started to fight on foot like everyone else. Emily and Bucky were among tow of three that were not injuries or have a couple of scars from the battle, the other one being Thor. She noticed that he was fighting with the manticore, but Emily couldn't pay much attention to Thor fighting. Thankfully since the battle of the labyrinth that Emily added a third leaf to her green bracelet do which turns into her new Lieutenant USA uniform. Emily touched the leaf and her Lieutenant USA uniform took place of the clothing that Emily had on expect for the brown leather jacket. Emily was fighting one of the dragons and thankfully she was fireproof, so she didn't need to worry about being burned.

It seems that the dragon figured that out quickly, so it knocked her off her feet by using it's tail san she's hit the wall of the bridge. When she hit the wall that she dizzy as well as felt some pain on her cheek as well as on her arm, she figured that she must have hit them when she hit the wall and fell to the floor. Emily managed to get up by using the holes in the wall, when she was threw against the wall that she heard Bucky yelling her name. Emily felt more dizzy when she stood up, as Emily stood that the dragon was coming at her. Emily could feel the healing process began to work but she knew that it wouldn't be fast enough to help her fight the dragon in the state she was in. Than lightning hit the dragon so that the dragon turned to gold dust, Thor was standing behind of where the dragon was. But it was than that one of the cyclops knocked Bucky into the other wall, before the cyclops could do anything that shadows hit him he fell backwards. As he fell that a silver arrow hit his forehead causing him to turn into gold dus, the monsters started to retreat more, as Emily used the shadows that Emily fell into blackness. The last thing she remembered was Thor running over to her and yelling her name.


	17. Chapter 17

While Emily was blacked out that she was in a demigod dream, one that worried her greatly. At the moment, Arabella and Nico were in the gardens of Hades of where Emily and Persephone would grow things. Emily never minded Arabella and Nico being in here but Persephone was different when it came to anyone mess in with her garden other than Emily. Emily was sure that Persephone wouldn't be happy to see that hole in her garden that Arabella and Nico dug. Nico was pouring a goblet of wine into the hole and started to chant. "Let the dead taste again. Let them rise and take this offering. Maria di Angelo and Lily Evans Potter, show yourselves!" White smoke gathered and a human figure was formed, but it was. It a Lily nor Maria, that much was clear. Emily knows that Arabella was able to speak to Lily once, but that was all and Arabella only heard the voice of a lily. The figure was that of a girl no more than twelve, she has dele hair, olive skin and silvery clothes of a hunter. "Bianca, but- " When Nico said that, that Emily realized it was Nico's full sister, Emily never talked to Bianca before or saw her, even if she was dead now.

'Don't summon our mother, Nico. She is the one spirit you are forbidden to see. The same goes for Arsbella's.'

"Why? What's our father hiding?"

'Pain. Hatred. A curse that stretches back to the Great Prophecy. As well pain and lost for Arsbella.'

"What do you mean? We have to know!"

'The knowledge will only hurt you both. Remember what I said: holding grudges is a fatal flaw for children of Hades.'

"I know that, but I'm not the same as I used to be, Bianca. Stop trying to protect me!"

'Brother, you don't understand -' Nico swiped his hand through the mist and Bianca's image dissipated. Emily wanted to call out to tell them to stop but Nico spoke once more before Emily could say or do anything.

"Maria di Angelo, speak to me!" A different image formed in front of them, it was a scene rather than the two ghosts like it should have been. When Emily saw the scene that she knew what was going to happen or a basic idea of what would happen. Hades never told her of what happened that day that Nico's and Bianca's mother died, but she knows a couple of things that happened. In the mist of the image that she say a young Bianca and Nico playing as little children in a lobby of an elegant hotel. They were chasing each other around the marble columns, Emily was sure that her younger self was in Germany somewhere in that image but where she wasn't sure. A woman sat a nearby sofa, the woman was wearing a black dress, gloves and a black veiled hat. The woman reminds Emily of a star from a 1940s movie that she used to see when she was not on a mission, the woman has a pretty smile and her eyes looked like Nico's. On the chair next to the woman was a large oily man in a black pinstriped suit, Emily knew who the man was at once when she saw him. It was Hades, her adopted father, he was leaning towards the woman using his hands as he spoke to her.

"Please, my dear. You must come to the Underworld. I don't care what Persephone thinks! I can keep you safe there."

"No, my love. Raise our children in the land of the dead? I will not do this." She spoke with an Italian accent, Emily knew at once that this has to be Nico's mother.

"Maria, listen to me. The war in Europe has turned the other gods against me. A prophecy has been made. My children are no longer safe. Poseidon and Zeus have forced me into an agreement. None of us are to have demigod children ever again."

"But you already have Nico and Bianca. Surely - "

"No! The prophecy warns of a child who turns sixteen. Zeus has decreed that the children I currently have must be turned over to Camp Half-Blood for proper training, but I know what he means. At best they'll be watched, imprisoned, turned against their father. Even more likely, he will not take a chance. He won't allow my demigod children to reach sixteen. He'll find a way to destroy them, and I won't risk that!"

"Certamente, We will stay together. Zeus is un imbecile." Emily smiled when Maris said that, Emily could see why Hades loves Nico's mother so much. She was courageous and she was pretty much the mother that any child would want to have. A mother who wanted to protect her child and do what she could to make sure they have a happy and safe childhood. Hades glanced nervously at the ceiling, Emily couldn't blame Hades for that.

"Maria, please. I told you, Zeus gave me a deadline of last week to turn over the children. His wrath will be horrible, and I cannot hide you forever. As long as you are with the children, you are in danger too."

"You are a god, my love. You will protect us. But I will not take Nico and Bianca to the Underworld." Hades wring his hands.

"Then, there is another option. I know a place in the desert where time stands still. I could send the children there, just for a while, for their own safety, and we could be together. I will build you a golden palace by the Styx." Emily wanted her to take that offer, but Emily knew that Maria wouldn't accept the offer though.

"You are a kind man, my love. A generous man. The other gods should see you as I do, and they would not fear you so. But Nico and Bianca need their mother. Besides, they are only children. The gods wouldn't really hurt them." Emily knew that Maria spoke truly about Hades, Emily knows of where all his resentment does from. For Emily got to know Hades for the last seventy years and knows of what he really was like once one gets to know him.

"You don't know my family. Please, Maria, I can't lose you." Hades spoke darkly, Emily shivered as he spoke, somehow she knew that something was going to happen. Zeus was going to try to kill Nico and Bianca, she just knew it. She remembered Lauren telling her, not to long ago, that at some point that her father tried to kill two demigods. Of why her father tried to do that was something Lauren didn't know. Emily has a feeling she knows who the two that Zeus tried to kill as well as the reason of why he tries. Lauren only recently learned it herself and ever since her relationship with her father was strained. If Emily was right, that she wasn't going to tell Lauren about this dream, for it may make things worse for Lauren and her father. Maria touched Hades's lips with her fingers.

"You will not lose me. Wait for me while I get my purse. Watch the children." Maria kissed Hades before she rose from the sofa that she was sitting in a few moments before. Hades watched Maria walk upstairs as of her every step caused him pain, than a moment later, Hades tensed. Emily tensed as well as Nico and Bianca stopped playing as if they sense something as well. Emily knew what was going to happen before it happen and it tore her heart apart as she watched what happen helpless.

"No!" Hades yelled it but his godly powers were too slow though. For Hades only managed to have the time to put a wall of black energy around Nico and Bianca before the hotel exploded. The force of the explosion was so violet that the entire misty image dissolved, when it focus that hades was kneeling in the ruins of the hotel. Hades was holding the broken form of Maria di Angelo, fires were still burning all around him and lightning was flashing across the sky of which was followed by thunder. Emily would be crying if she was there in person, she watched as Hades cuddled Maria Di Angelo. Emily knows Hades well enough to know that when he falls in love that he falls in love, that he loved Maria just as much as he loved Persephone. He young Nico and Bianca were staring at their mother not understanding of what happened. The fury, Aledto, appeared behind Bianca and Nico, she was hissing and flapping her leathery wings. Nico and ambiance didn't seem to notice her or they were used to her by that point in their lives. Hades looked up at the sky, there were tears in his eyes,

"Zeus! I will crush you for this! I will bring her back!" Hades shook his fist at the sky as he spoke to the sky

"My lord, you cannot. You of all immortals must respect the laws of death." Hades glowed with rage, Emily thought that he might show his true form and vaporize his own children. Thankfully he managed to region control of himself.

"Take them. Wash their memories clean in the Lethe and bring them to the Lotus Hotel. Zeus will not harm them there." Hades was holding back a sob as he spoke.

"As you wish, my lord. And the woman's body?

"Take her as well. Give her the ancient rites." Alecto, Nico, Bianca and Maria's body dissolved into shades leaving Hades alone, kneeling, in the ruins. Emily was aware of this event but she didn't of what fully happen but she knew what was going to takes place now. It was because of what happened that the curse of the oracle came around in the first place. A new voice spoke up.

"I warned you." Hades got up and turned around Emily knew who it was just by that voice for she heard that voice before. Standing by the smoldering remains of the sofa that Maria bee sitting on was a girl no more than twelve years old. She was wearing a multicolored dress, her hair was short and black, her eyes were sad.

"You dare come here? I should blast you to dust!"

"You cannot. The power of Delphi protects me."

"You've killed the woman I loved! Your prophecy brought us to this." Hades roared at the oracle, he was looming over the girl but she didn't flinch.

"Zeus ordained the explosion to destroy the children, because you defied his will. I had nothing to do with it. And I did warn you to hide them sooner."

"I couldn't! Maria would not let me! Besides, they were innocent."

"Nevertheless, they are your children, which makes them dangerous. Even if you put them away in the Lotus Hotel, you only delay the problem. Nico and Bianca will never be able to rejoin the world lest they turn sixteen."

"Because of your so-called Great Prophecy. And you have forced me into an oath to have no other children. You have left me with nothing!"

"I foresee the future, I cannot change it." When Emily saw the black fire in Hades's eyes that she knew what was going to happen. She wanted to cry out to tell him not to do it but she couldn't.

"Then, Oracle, hear the words of Hades. I cannot bring back Maria. Nor can I bring you an early death. But your soul is still mortal, and I can curse you."

"You would not - "

"I swear, as long as my children remain outcasts, as long as I labor under the curse of your Great Prophecy, the Oracle of Delphi will never have another mortal host. You will never rest in peace. No other will take your place. Your body will wither and die, and still the Oracle's spirit will be locked inside you. You will speak your bitter prophecies until you crumble to nothing. The Oracle will die with you!"

The girl screamed and the misty image changed, Emily cried out in shock when she saw the image. For Emily been there once shortly after Arabella was taken to the underworld, she went there to see what kind of family Arabella has and would have had if she remained with her mother and step father. It was the Potter cottage in a Godric's Hollow, Emily knew what they were going to see, for Emily knows of what happens that night. Arabella was aware of the event but she didn't know the full story but Emily didn't want her to see the memory or event that was going to take place. She wanted to screams so to and cut the image but she was unable to do so, all she could do was watch. Emit watched as James handed Harry over to Lily when the front door was blasted open. The blast nearly made them fall over but the blast wasn't as violent as the one at happened in the other scene. James and Lily looked at each other, Emily could see the understanding happen between them. That they knew that they were going to make it through the night but they were willing to fight to the death. James ran to the door and spoke to Lily as he ran.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" Lily ran upstairs to the nursery while James ran into the hallway, Voldment casted the killing curse. James fell to the floor dead, Emily could hear Lily scream when James fell dead, Emily was worried and she wondered of seeing what fully happen that night would affect Arabella. The door close behind Lily and Emily could hear her moving things across the room to put things in front of the door, Emily knows that wouldn't stop Voldment and she was sure that Lily knows that as well. After a minute that the door blasted open lie with the front door, the things were throw aside. Lily put Harry back init his crib before turnin to look at Voldment.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl. . . stand aside now."

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead—"

"This is my last warning—"

"Not Harry! Please . . . have mercy. . . have mercy. . . . Not Harry! Not Harry!

Please—I'll do anything—"

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!" Emily wished that there was something she could do, but this was a dream to her and it was a scene from the last being played. Lily refused to move and ask mercy for Harry, but the green light hit her killing her at once like James. She also fell to the floor, just like James, Voldment stepped over her before pointing his wand at Harry. It seemed that Harry realized something that something happened, he looked like if he might cry. Than green light hit Harry but the green light rebounded, Voldment dropped his wand as his body was being destroyed. There was a scream, a window opened in the nursery and a spirit like thing flew out of the window. Emily knew that was Voldment that just left, Harry was still sitting in the crib crying. There on his forehead was the mark, the one he has since that fateful night, a lightning bolt. Than the scene changed once more, this time it was Persephone and Arabella in Arabella's room of which was a nursery at the time. Persephone and Arabella were playing while Hades was watching them, Emily knew she was out and around doing missions when this was happening. She wasn't sure of what she was doing on that night, she couldn't remember, for she done a lot of things since become immortal. Arabella started to crawl towards Persephone but Arabella stopped and started to cry her head off. Emily knew that Arabella sense of what happen name knew her birth mother was died, so did Hades. For hades has a look of terror and surprise on his face, but Persephone didn't seem to notice anything was off, for she picked up Arabella and tried to calm her down. Than Hades left the doorway, Emily knew what Hades was going to do. Than the misty image was blasted to shreds, Nico and Arabella fell to their knees in the garden. Their faces were white with shock, standing in front of them was the real hades towering over them in his black robes and he was scowling down at them.

"And just what do you two think you were doing?"

It was at that moment that Emily woke up, she expected to be in that tunnel but what she didn't expect was to be in a bed. Emily blinked a couple of times before she looked around, she was in a hotel room of some kind, Emily looked to her right and saw that Bucky was laying there next to her. He was still knocked out but he was alive. Emily slowly sat up, as she sat up that she noticed that Steve and Lauren were in a corner. Their eyes were closed, Lauren's head was on Steve's chest and Steve's arms were around her while Lauren's arms were around his neck. If it wasn't for the scars and cuts that were barely visible on their arms and a few other places that she cousins see that they would look blissful. Emily lowered herself once more before she put her head on Bucky's chest before she put her arms around him. When she did that, that Bucky started to stir before she felt his arms wrap themselves around her, this she felt him kiss the top of her head. This Bucky whispered to her.

"Are you all right, Emily?"

"I been better. Thank goodness for demigods being healed faster as my own healing abilities being faster. Otherwise I think I would be worse." Emily could tell she was still healing, for she moved her one ankle and it hit to a degree but the pain in her ankle was going down. Emily could tell that she managed to get a good be write when she was throw into the wall and used her abilities in that fight after being thrown against the wall. She knew Bucky healed just as fast since Apollo's blessing was similar to Hestia's blessing, the only real differences was the bow and arrows and that Bucky was good at archery. Of which was one area that Emily failed in when it comes to long range fighting, for long range she would use her powers. Just than the door banged open with a loud crash, Emily yelped and she was sure that if Bucky hadn't wrapped her arms around her that she would have falling off the bed. The bang also woke up Steve and Lauren, Emily lifted to to see who was in the doorway of which was author. Emily sighed before she put her head back on Bucky's chest.

"You four are awake, good." Emily spoke

"The banging woke us up. If the spell wasn't working, you would have woke up the whole building." Emily lifted her head from Bucky's chest before she went on. "Is there a reason of you woke us up?"

"We got visitors and the one demigod leader wants the five of us to be there."

It didn't take long for Emily, Bucky Steve, Lauren and Thor to get to where Pefy, Grover and Thalia were at. All three of them were happy to seen them, Emily was sure that part of the reason that the three wanted them down here was just in case a fight broke out. Emit was sure she could fight somewhat what but her head was still pounding and her ankle was still painfully. The truce party was coming nearing for she could see a thirty foot tall Hyperborean giant carrying a white flag that was big as a soccer field, Emily,was worried and concern when she saw the Hyperborean giant for they were usually peaceful. There was a couple of colonies in Canada that Emily walked through and she got it it a snowball fight with some of them. Most demigods wouldn't fins that fun, but with her ability over fire that it was fun and well worth getting into a snowball fight with them since she could never be frozen because she was a fire user. When Thalia spoke that it was clear that Emily wasn't the only one tat knew about the Hyperborean giants,

"A Hyperborean. The giants of the north. It's a bad sign that they sided with Kronos. They're usually peaceful."

"You've met them?"

"Mmm. There's a big colony in Alberta. You do not want to get into a snowball fight with those guys."

"Unless if you have control over fire and can create it." Thalia, Percy and Grover looked at her when she said that. "I went into a snowball fight with them and since I have fire that the snow and ice melt away as I was getting hit by the snowballs. It was rather fun, however if you don't have the fire ability, than I suggest you listen to Thalia." They went on watching as the Hyperborean got closer, there was three human size envoys with the Hyperborean. A Halfblood from the looks of it an empousa that had a black dress on with flaming hair and a tall man in a tuxedo. The empousa was holding the tux guy's arm so that they looked more like a couple on their way to somewhere else than being a truce party. The group was walking leisurely towards them, Emily kept watching them as Percy looked at Grover before he spoke.

"The tux dude is the Titan?"

"He looks like a magician. I hate magicians. They usually have rabbits." Emily smiled when Grover said that it seems rather common for Satyrs to be scared of rabbits or bunnies. It was odd and funny when one thinks about it, Emily wasn't sure of how that fear of bunnies and rabbits came around.

"You're scared of bunnies?"

"Blah-hah-hah! They're big bullies. Always stealing celery from defenseless satyrs!" Thalia coughed when Grover said that, Emily looked over at Lauren of who just smirked. Honestly Satyrs were bigger and have weapons as well as reed pipes, it's not like they couldn't stop the bunny or prevent the bunny from taking the celery. "What?"

"We'll have to work on your bunny phobia later. Here they come." The man in the tuxedo stepped forward, he was taller than an average human about seven feet tall. Though there some humans that were seven feet tall that were not gods or Titans, there were mostly basketball players though. He actually made Thor look a bit small of which was saying something since Thor was quite tall himself as well as being rather big. Thor makes the doorway in the hotel rooms look small, since Steve could fit into those doorways. The man's hair was tied back into a ponytail, dark round glasses were covering his eyes. The man's face was covered with scratches like it was attacked by a small angry animal, Emily shivered slightly for she has a feeling of who this Titan was. Than the man spoke with a silky voice that made her want to gag for the voice reminded her too much of a Malfoy, the boy who was obsessed with Arabella since who knows when. Emily kept on making sure that Malfoy didn't act on that or get to need Arabella, after the first time Emily told him after she figured out his obsession with Arabella that he told Severus of which was something he regretted since Severus told him off as well as telling to listen to Emily.

"Percy Jackson, It's a great honor." The empousa hissed at Percy. "My dear, why don't you make yourself comfortable over there, eh?" The empousa released his arm and drifted over to a park bench. Emily looked the empousa when she sat at the park bench before she looked at the demigod behind the Titan and realized it was the one demigod from the Labyrinth before she learned about Bucky.

"Hey, Ethan. You're looking good." Ethan glared at Percy when he said that. The Titan didn't seem to notice or he didn't care.

"To business. I am Prometheus."

"The fire-stealer guy? The chained-to-the-rock-with-the-vultures guy?" Prometheus winched when Percy said that, Emily smirked when he winced. Than Prometheus touched the scratches on his face,

"Please, don't mention the vultures. But yes, I stole fire from the gods and gave it to your ancestors. In return, the ever merciful Zeus had me chained to a rock and tortured for all eternity."

"But - "

"How did I get free? Hercules did that, eons ago. So you see, I have a soft spot for heroes. Some of you can be quite civilized."

"Unlike the company you keep." Emily was watching Percy and Prometheus, Emily noticed that Percy was looking at Ethan but Prometheus must have thought Percy was looking at the empousa.

"Oh, demons aren't so bad. You just have to keep them well fed. Now, Percy Jackson, let us parley." Prometheus waved them over to a picnic table, Grover and Percy sat one one side while Prometheus sat down on the other side. While Emily, and the others stood behind Percy, the Hyperborean giant propped his white flag against a tree and began to playing on the playground, the Hyperborean stepped onto the monkey bars and crushed them, the Hyperborean wasn't angry but he for need and said, "Uh-oh." Emily couldn't help but feel sorry for the giant, for they were rather harmless unless if they were fighting. The Hyperborean than stepped in the fountain and broke the concrete bowl in half and said, "un-oh" again. The water froze of where his foot was touching the water, there was a bunch of stuffed animals hanging from his belt. The kind that one would get for grand prizes at an arcade or something, than prone spoke.

"Percy, your position is weak. You know you can't stop another assault."

"We'll see." Prometheus looked pained, like he cared about what will happen to them. Emily doubted that fact very much.

"Percy, I'm the Titan of forethought. I know what's going to happen."

"Also the Titan of crafty counsel. Emphasis on crafty." Prometheus shrugged when Grover said that.

"True enough, satyr. But I supported the gods in the last war. I told Kronos: 'You don't have the strength. You'll lose.' And I was right. So you see, I know how to pick the winning side. This time, I'm backing Kronos."

"Because Zeus chained you to a rock."

"Partly, yes. I won't deny I want revenge. But that's not the only reason I'm supporting Kronos. It's the wisest choice. I'm here because I thought you might listen to reason." Prometheus drew a map on the table with his finger, wherever he touched that golden lines appeared. "This is Manhattan. We have armies here, here, here, and here. We know your numbers. We outnumber you twenty to one."

"Your spy has been keeping you posted."

"At any rate, our forces are growing daily. Tonight, Kronos will attack. You will be overwhelmed. You've fought bravely, but there's just no way you can hold all of Manhattan. You'll be forced to retreat to the Empire State Building. There you'll be destroyed. I have seen this. It will happen."

"I won't let it happen. "

"Understand, Percy. You are refighting the Trojan War here. Patterns repeat themselves in history. They reappear just as monsters do. A great siege. Two armies. The only difference is, this time you are defending. You are Troy. And you know what happened to the Trojans, don't you?"

"So you're going to cram a wooden horse into the elevator at the Empire State Building? Good luck."

"Troy was completely destroyed, Percy. You don't want that to happen here. Stand down, and New York will be spared. Your forces will be granted amnesty. I will personally assure your safety. Let Kronos take Olympus. Who cares? Typhon will destroy the gods any way."

"Right, and I'm supposed to believe Kronos would spare the city."

"All he wants is Olympus. The might of the gods is tied to their seats of power. You saw what happened to Poseidon once his undersea palace was attacked." Prometheus paused as Percy winced. "Yes, I know that was hard for you. When Kronos destroys Olympus, the gods will fade. They will become so weak they will be easily defeated. Kronos would rather do this while Typhon has the Olympians distracted in the west. Much easier. Fewer lives lost. But make no mistake, the best you can do is slow us down. The day after tomorrow, Typhon arrives in New York, and you will have no chance at all. The gods and Mount Olympus will still be destroyed, but it will be much messier. Much, much worse for you and your city. Either way, the Titans will rule." It was than that Thalia pounded her fist on the table.

"I serve Artemis. The Hunters will fight to our last breath. Percy, you're not seriously going to listen to this slimeball, are you?"

"Your courage does you credit, Thalia Grace." Emily didn't expect Prometheus to use Thalia's last name, for it was a last name that Thalia doesn't use. Though her brother uses it, Emily felt sorry for the two siblings and knew it was Hera's doing, but Emily knew why Hera done what she did to them. There times of when she wished she could tell Thalia about Jason.

"That's my mother's surname. I don't use it."

"As you wish. At any rate, you need not be my enemy. I have always been a helper of mankind."

"That's a load of Minotaur dung, when mankind first sacrificed to the gods, you tricked them into giving you the best portion. You gave us fire to annoy the gods, not because you cared about us."

"You don't understand. I helped shape your nature." A wiggling lump of clay appeared in his hands, he made a little doll with legs and arms but it has no eyes. Of which Emily found disturbing, it groped around the table as well as stumbling over Prometheus's fingers. "I have been whispering in man's ear since the beginning of your existence. I represent your curiosity, your sense of exploration, your inventiveness. Help me save you, Percy. Do this, and I will give mankind a new gift - a new revelation that will move you as far forward as fire did. You can't make that kind of advance under the gods. They would never allow it. But this could be a new golden age for you. Or . . ." He made a fist and smashed the clay man into a pancake. The Hyperborean rumbled another "uh-oh." and over at the park bench the empousa bared her fangs in a smile. "Percy, you know the Titans and their offspring are not all bad, you've met Calypso."

"That's different."

"How? Much like me, she did nothing wrong, and yet she was exiled forever simply because she was Atlas's daughter. We are not your enemies. Don't let the worst happen. We offer you peace." Percy looked over at Ethan

"You must hate this."

"I don't know what you mean."

"If we took this deal, you wouldn't get revenge. You wouldn't get to kill us all. Isn't that what you want?"

"All I want is respect, Jackson. The gods never gave me that. You wanted me to go to your stupid camp, spend my time crammed into the Hermes cabin because I'm not important? Not even recognized?"

"Your mom's the goddess of revenge, We should respect that?"

"Nemesis stands for balance! When people have too much good luck, she tears them down."

"Which is why she took your eye?"

"It was payment. In exchange, she swore to me that one day I would tip the balance of power. I would bring the minor gods respect. An eye was a small price to pay."

"Great mom."

"At least she keeps her word, unlike the Olympians. She always pays her debts - good or evil."

"Yeah. So I saved your life, and you repaid me by raising Kronos. That's fair." Ethan went to grabbed the hilt of his sword but Prometheus stopped him.

"Now, now. We're on a diplomatic mission." Prometheus studied Percy before he spoke.

"It bothers you what happened to Luke. Hestia didn't show you the full story. Perhaps if you understood . . ." Prometheus reached out, Thalia cried out a warning but it was too late for Prometheus placed his index finger on Percy's for head. Emily stood there as she watched Percy started to swear and become clammy, after a few moments that Prometheus pulled his hand away from Percy's forehead.

"Percy? What . . . what was that?"

"Appalling, isn't it? The gods know what is to come, and yet they do nothing, even for their children. How long did it take for them to tell you your prophecy, Percy Jackson? Don't you think your father knows what will happen to you?"

"Perrrcy, he's playing with your mind. Trying to make you angry."

"Do you really blame your friend Luke? And what about you, Percy? Will you be controlled by your fate? Kronos offers you a much better deal." Percy clenched his fist, before Percy could say anything that Emily spoke up.

"Yes, he does blame Luke. For all Luke has done so far was bring destruction and the loss of freedom." Prometheus looked over at Emily as she said, than Emily went on. "Freedom, our lives, the way of the future and the world we know is what we are fighting for in this. Among other things, including family and friends. We might be a small group but we will not stop fighting or protecting this earth, whether we are demigods or even part of the avengers. Because if the demigods fail, you can be sure that the avengers will come and we will avenge this earth and take it from your rule." Steve, Thor, Lauren and Bucky were smiling when Emily said that, it was something they heard often from Tony when they went on missions as the avengers. But Tony wasn't here to say anything like that, Emily was always the second to say things like that if Tony wasn't around. Prometheus raised an eyebrow, he was about ready to say something when Percy spoke.

"I'll give you a deal. Tell Kronos to call off his attack, leave Luke Castellan's body, and return to the pits of Tartarus. Then maybe I won't have to destroy him." The empousa

snarled when Percy said that and her hair erupted in fresh flames, but Prometheus just sighed.

"If you change your mind, I have a gift for you." A Greek vase appeared on the table, it was three feet high and a foot wide, it was glazed black and white with geometric designs. The ceramic lid was fastened with a leather harness to keep it closed from anything getting lose. Emily shallowed, she knows what that vase was when she saw it, Thalia gasped when she saw it.

"That's not - "

"Yes. You recognize it."

"This belonged to my sister-in-law, Pandora."

"As in Pandora's box?" Prometheus shook his head when Percy said that.

"I don't know how this box business got started. It was never a box. It was a pithos, a storage jar. I suppose Pandora's pithos doesn't have the same ring to it, but never mind that. Yes, she did open this jar, which contained most of the demons that now haunt mankind - fear, death, hunger, sickness."

"Don't forget me."

"Indeed, the first empousa was also trapped in this jar, released by Pandora. But what I find curious about the story - Pandora always gets the blame. She is punished for being curious. The gods would have you believe that this is the lesson: mankind should not explore. They should not ask questions. They should do what they are told. In truth, Percy, this jar was a trap designed by Zeus and the other gods. It was revenge on me and my entire family - my poor simple brother Epimetheus and his wife Pandora. The gods knew she would open the jar. They were willing to punish the entire race of humanity along with us. Only one spirit remained inside when Pandora opened it."

"Hope."

"Very good, Percy. Elpis, the Spirit of Hope, would not abandon humanity. Hope does not leave without being given permission. She can only be released by a child of man." Prometheus slid the jar across the table to Percy. As he did so that the strangest thing happen, when he slid the jar to Percy that Emily felt something reaching out to her. It was almost like something or someone was asking her to be released, or something like that. It seemed like everyone sensed it for they were staring at the jar, but than it stopped. Prometheus looked slightly confused when it stopped.

"That's strange, that never happened before." The empousa hissed suddenly, Emily looked at her when she spoke.

"It has happen." Everyone looked at the empousa, Emily raised an eyebrow when she said that.

"What do you mean, Morrain?" She was looking at Prometheus before looking at Emily than she spoke.

"It would be a bad idea if Percy opens the jar now." Prometheus merely shrugged before looking back at Percy.

"I give you this as a reminder of what the gods are like. Keep Elpis, if you wish. But if you decide that you have seen enough destruction, enough futile suffering, then open the jar. Let Elpis go. Give up Hope, and I will know that you are surrendering. I promise Kronos will be lenient. He will spare the survivors."

"I don't want the thing."

"Too late. The gift is given. It cannot be taken back." He stood up and the empousa come forward before she slipped her arm though his.

"Morrain! We are leaving. Get your flag."

"Uh-oh."

"We will see you soon, Percy Jackson. One way or another." Ethan gave Percy one last hateful look before the truce party turned and strolled up the lane though Central Park.


	18. Chapter 18

After the truce party left that Emily, Bucky, Steve and Lauren managed to get some more sleep before they were woken up by Thor once more. Once they got ready that that they went down to where the enemy would be coming from of which was apparently the reservoir. It was twilight once more, of which means that was when the enemy would be attacking again. The lights of the city were blinking as twilight came upon the city, Emily preferred to enjoy the night without having to go to battle. When Emily and the others reached the reservoir that Percy, Annabeth, Thalia and the head counselors were there, Thalia pointed north with a silver arrow in her hand.

"They're coming. One of my scouts just reported they've crossed the Harlem River. There was no way to hold them back. The army . . . It's huge."

"We'll hold them at the park. Grover, you ready?"

"As ready as we'll ever be. If my nature spirits can stop them anywhere, this is the place."

"Yes, we will!" Emily looked back, a very old and fat satyr pushed thought the crowd of demigods and nature spirits. Emily rolled her eyes when she saw the satyr for she knows it was, Leneus, he was dressed in wool bark armor that only covered half of his belly. Honestly if she wanted another satyr here, besides Grover, it would be Gleeson for she knows Gleeson was in much better shape as well as a better fighter. Though she would tell either one of them that fact, for Leneus would throw a fit while it just add to Gleeson's ego. Besides Gleeson would be more willing to fight than Leneus and would have come sooner as well.

"Leneus?"

"Don't act so surprised, I am a leader of the Council, and you did tell me to find Grover. Well, I found him, and I'm not going to let a mere outcast lead the satyrs without my help!" Emily smiled slightly as Grover made gagging motions behind Leneus's back, she could tell that Lauren, Steve and Bucky were close of laughing. Thor was just standing there looking confused, Emily will have to remember to explain some things to Thor about the godly world. It was hard not to laugh at Leneus at the moment with how he looks, but the only reason they were not laughing was because of the battle that was coming. "Never fear! We'll show those Titans!"

"Um . . . yeah. Well, Grover, you won't be alone. Annabeth and the Athena cabin will make their stand here. And me, and . . . Thalia?" Thalia patted Percy on his shoulder.

"Say no more. The Hunters are ready." Percy looked at the other counselors.

"That leaves the rest of you with a job just as important. You have to guard the other entrances to Manhattan. You know how tricky Kronos is. He'll hope to distract us with this big army and sneak another force in somewhere else. It's up to you to make sure that doesn't happen. Has each cabin chosen a bridge or tunnel?" Everyone nodded when Percy said that. "Then let's do it, Good hunting, everybody!"

The campers went to the other entrances into Manhattan, Steve and Lauren went with one of the cabins to help. While Emily, Bucky, and Thor remained at the reservoir to help them, for they would need the extra help. Not only that but Emily believes that they would send the biggest part of the army down here to to come this way. It would be best if Thor, Emily and Bucky stay here whole Steve and Lauren went with the cabins. Steve and Bucky were not up to the level they should be with their training but they were good enough for the time being. Emily knew that Steve wasn't going to leave Lauren's side, Steve didn't want to leave Emily's side but as long as he knows Thor and Bucky, or at least Bucky, were with her that he was fine with it. As they waited that Emily was getting nervous, Emily felt Bucky take her hand. Emily looked at their hands before looking at Bucky of who was looking at her, Emily smiled slightly before looking away from him. Emily was glad that Bucky was at her side once more, when she lost Bucky and Steve that felt like she lost a big piece of herself. It filled somewhat with Phil and Arabella but without not knowing of what happen to them that she knew that the wound would never heal. Soon the army started to come, they heard he semi before seeing it since to sounded lie the cheering of fans at a baseball game. At the north end of the reservoir that the enemy broke through the woods. Emily took a sharp intake of breath when she saw the Titan in the golden armor that was leading a battalion of Laistrygonain giants with other monsters pouring out behind them.

"Positions!" The Athena cabin scrambled, the plan seem to work or at first at any rate, the enemy divided and streamed towards them along the shore. Halfway across that the defense kicked in, the jogging trails that they were using erupted in Greek fire. Emily raised her hands, black fire shot out of her hands and joined the Greek fire on the jogging trail. Thankfully Emily had enough energy to do what she just done, with her hellfire and the Greek fire that the monsters were either incinerated, melted, engulfed or a mixture of all three. The Athena campers threw grappling hooks around the largest giants before pulling the giants to the ground. In the woods, on the right, that the hunters sent a volley of silver arrows into the enemy line, destroying a good amount of Dracaenae but more were coming. A few times a gold arrow went last Emily as she used shades or darkness to push back or kill monsters,

At times a bolt of lightning would crackled out of the sky, the first time a lightning boot did that and fried a Laistrygonian giant to ashes that Emily looked at Thor, of who looked confused. From that look that Emily knew that it was Thalia that fried the Laistrygonian, every time lightning would hit a monster that Emily knew it has to be one of them. Since than Thor started to swing his hammer and clouds formed above them, of which made more lightning appear above and started to hit the monsters. Grover raised his pipers and played a quick tune, a roar went up from the woods on both sides as every tree, rock and bush seem to sprout a spirit, the dryads and satyrs raised their clubs, if they have one, and charges at the enemy. The trees started to wrap themselves around the monsters strangling them, grass grew around the feet of the enemy archers and stones were up in the air hitting the Dracaenaes in the face. Bucky lead towards Emily before he spoke.

"Can you do any of that?"

"I am not sure if I could lift a stone like that but everything else, yes." Bucky merely nodded when Emily sisd that, the enemy were slogging forward. The giants were smashing though the trees, the naiads and dryads fades as their life sources were destroyed. The hellhounds lunged at the timberwolves knocking them aside, Emily used her powers of the underworld to send the hellhounds to the underworld. The hellhounds had no choice but to listen to that command. The enemy archers started to return fire once more, a hunter fell from a high branch.

"Percy!" Emily looked across the reservoir when Annabeth grabbed Percy's arm before she pointed at the reservoir. The Titan in gold armor was waiting for his forces to a dance around the sides before he charged towards them walking straight over the top of the lake. A greed firebomb exploded right on top of him but he raised his palm and sucked the flames out of the air, Emily but her bottom lip as she watched the Titan. She wanted to fight him but she couldn't walk on water, walk on fire yes but not on water.

"Hyperion, The lord of light. Titan of the east."

"Bad?"

"Next to Atlas, he's the greatest Titan warrior. In the old days, four Titans controlled the four corners of the world. Hyperion was the east - the most powerful. He was the father of Helios, the first sun god."

"I'll keep him busy."

"Percy, even you can't - "

"Just keep our forces together." Emily figured that there there just more than just the fact there was nature spirits were the reason of why they up at the reservoir, for Percy was the son of Poseidon, Percy stepped onto the water before he ran across it, Thor spoke up.

"He can walk on water." Emily looked over at Thor when he said that.

"You can fly." Thor looked over at her when she said that, he thought about that for a minute before he spoke

"Good point." When Percy was twenty feet away that Hyperion raised his sword.

"The sea god's brat, You're the one who trapped Atlas beneath the sky again?"

"It wasn't hard, you Titans are about as bright as my gym socks."

"You want bright?" Hyperion's body ignited in a column of light and hear, Emily was forced to look away because of how bright he was. She wasn't bothered by the heat or the fire, but her eyes couldn't stand that much not when it was surround someone other than herself. Desire that, she knows that she wouldn't gone blind unlike with most of the other demigods. Than Emily felt a shock wave that hit her and the others that at the edge of the lake, just as another one was about to hit that Emily felt the water going back. Emily looked up as she saw Percy in a tidal wave while Hyperion screamed as the wave smashed into him. "AHHHHH!" When he went under that his light went out Percy landed on the lake' surface as Hyperion struggled to his feet. His armor was dripping wet, he looked to Percy before he roared at Percy,

"You will burn, Jackson!" Emily looked away as the two of them battle, Emily kept using her power of the shades or plants to fight the monsters, she thought if using her fire powers but decided against it because of Hyperion. Bucky was using his wind power while Thor was fighting with the Athena cabin, of which Emily was glad of. Some of the enemies fell into the trees and were strangled or were entangled by the trees. As Emily and Bucky fought that she could hear Percy and Hyperion."Enough games, we fight on land." It was than that Emily heard a bangs she looked to see Percy getting smashed into the ground, Emily thought he was dead but she realize his life force was not gone. Than Percy stood up. As he stood up without any scars or cuts that Emily realized what Percy done. Percy dipped into the river Styx.

"I really hate it when you Titans do that." Hyperion closed in on Percy with blinding speed, Emily noticed that the water was rippling hands she felt wind rushing around her. At first she thought that it was Thor, but it didn't seem like the thunderstorms that he would use. Emily looked over at Percy and her mouth was close of dropping, for Percy was standing in the middle of his hurricane, Emily looked at Bucky of hoe nodded and started to increase he wind around Percy, the storm above them increase and lightning started to hit the ground around Hyperion as Thronswung his hammer around. Emily was looking at the clouds and focus, it started to runs heavier and hail was coming down as well. The Titan started to roar at them though mostly at Percy this anyone else. "Stop it! Stop that wind!" Hyper stumbled back like he was being pushed away, water was sprayed into his face. The wind was picking up more, Hyperion staggered backwards more and he was starting to lose ground quickly.

"Percy! How are you doing that?" It was than at Percy looked down and realize what he was doing, he looked back up before he started to close in on Hyperion. The hurricane was blowing Hyperion off of his feet, the clouds were getting darker so Emily increased the hail, the lightning was coming more often, the wind was swirling very fast. The wind was so fast that she was surprised that the demigod were still standing or a good half of them at any rate. Grover shouted over at Percy again, "Percy! Bring him over here!" Percy was slashing and jabbing, Hyperion was having a hard time fighting back, left alone defending himself, Emily could see that Percy was weaken, Emily looked at Thor and he understood, the storm and the hurricane started to increase more, than Percy managed to propel Hyperion across the field to where Grover was waiting,

"I will not be toyed with!" Hyperion managed to get to his feet again but age over put his reeds to his lips before he started to play. Soon every satyr took up the song that Grover was playing, it was an eerie melody that they were playing. The storm and wind stopped as the melody started to play, Thor and Bucky looked confused as the melody went on, the ground around Hyperion's feet erupted and gnarled roots were wrapping around his legs. "What's this?" Hyperion tried to shake odd the roots but he was too weak from the fighting that he was doing as well as from the hurricane that send him over roots thickened till he looked like he was wearing wooden boots. "Stop this! Your woodland magic is no match for a Titan!" The more that Hyperion struggled that the roots grew faster. Emily used her Demeter powers to help with the growth, the satyrs noticed this for Grover winked at her. The other satyrs also winked at her as well, as the tree kept getting bigger that the forces of Hyperion started to back and stopped fighting. Soon enough all that thye could see was Hyperion's face.

"You cannot imprison me! I am Hyperion! I am - " The bake closed over his face, Emily stopped using her Demeter powers at that point, she felt like she was going to fall down. She felt weak, partly from blacking out the battle form last night and partly because of the amount of powers she used so far that night. She wasn't going to deny that she was more stronger and powerful no than she was back in World War II. Though she was pretty strong and powerful back than to after ten years of training in camp. Even after about sixty eight years of practicing and improving her skills and abilities, she still has her limits. When she felt like she was going to fall over that she managed to lean against Bucky and put her arms around his neck to keep herself steady. He out his arms around her to help her stay steady. Grover than took the pipes from his mouth before he spoke to the maple tree.

"You are a very nice maple tree." Several of the other satyrs passed out from exhaustion, but they did a good job considering that they just encased one of the most powerful titans in an enormous maple tree, the truck of the tree was twenty feet in diameter at least, the branches were as tall as any tree in the park. So that the tree looked like it might have been standing there for centuries instead of a few moments. Emily was sure when the spell lifted that the mortals would think that the tree been standing there for years, the titan's army started to retreat and a cheer went up from the Athena campers but it was short lives.

"REEEEET!" Emily looked up as all the monsters and demigods froze in terror. She heard a similar squeal before and dread filled her, the squealing was echoing though upper Manhattan. Shivers went down Emily's spine when the squealing started again,

"Why does that sound like . . . It can't be!"

"REEEEEET!" Than a huge pink pig soared over the reservoir.

"A sow! Take cover!" They all scattered as the sow swooped down Emily and Bucky just barley managed to make it behind a tree before it could hit them. Bucky was the one that pulled her along behind the tree since he has more of his strength this Emily did of hers. Emily looked out from behind the tree that they were using, more demigods scattered and a couple of the Athena campers were closed of becoming pancakes. The wings were pink, of which matched the pink skin of the sow, than she started to smash the tree that Emily and Bucky were behind. Emily managed to use her power just long enough for them to get out form under the tree before it fell, Bucky was the one that puled her away form he tree like he did when he pulled her behind it in the first place. Than it belched a cloud of noxious gas before taking off again for another strike, they managed to make it a little further in the woods before Bucky stopped and watched the sow. Bucky kept his arms around her pulling her close, Emily watched as the sow tried for another strike but this time it was some Athena campers and Thor that were close of become pancakes.

"What is that thing, Emily?" Emily looked up at the sow as it went up into the air once more to attack once more,

"It's the Clazmonian Sow, it terrorized Greek towns back in the day of old Greece."

"Has it ever been defeated?"

"As far as I know it hasn't." The titan's army was recovering from it's shock when they realized that the pig wasn't after them. However the campers and nature spirits were in a panic because of the sow, out of the corner of her eye that she sew Percy swinging a grappling hook like a lasso,when the sow came down for another pass that Percy tossed the grappling hook and wrapped itself around the base of the pig's wing. The pit squealed in rate before it veered off yanks the rope and Percy into the sky. Emily and Bucky managed to get back into the fighting when they sort of recovered form the sow and the Titan becoming a tree. The next hour or so was a blue or Emily, somehow Emily managed to stay with Bucky, but the other demigods kept changing around them. At times Emily cousin see Thron or Mrs. O'Leary bounded around before picking up a giant. They would treat the giant like a chew tow or a frisbee, the giant would I be throw away before they repeat the process over. As the night wore on that they were being backed up till they were a black from the Empire State Building no matter which side it was.

"Hold your lines!" Emily was surprised to hear Katie over the noise of battle, that was going on. When Emily was twenty feet from he door that she saw a bright light that began to shine. Emily knew it wasn't the sun, otherwise the sky would be in different colors at the moment instead of it being in different colors. It was Kronos, he was in a golden chariot, a dozen Laistrygonian giants were bearing torches in front of him and two Hyperborean giants were carrying his banner. He was taking his time to get to the Empire State Building, it was than that Emily notice Steve, Lauren, Thor and Bucky that were besides her. She also noticed that Percy was nearby and Annabeth appeared besides Percy, in her hands was her Yankees cap.

"We have to fall back to the doorway. Hold it at all costs!" Before Percy could say anything that a hunting horn sounded, it cut though the noise of the battle like a fire alarm. A chorus of horns answered from all around them, Emily looked at Lauren of who shook her head telling Emily that there was no way it could be the howling commandos. There was a fair chance that they may tell asleep if they enter Manhattan now, sure they had a similar blessing as the hunters and there were mortal hunters among the group. It was just question with Apollo's blessing of how it would affect the howling commandos when it comes to the spells around Manhattan. Emily noticed that Percy was looking at Thalia.

"Not the Hunters, we're all here."

"Then who?" The horns were getting louder were getting louder, the echo that the horns were making was making it hard to tell of where the horns were coming from. The first thought that enter Emily's mind was more enemies, but Kronos' forces looked as confused as the demigods did. From the sounds of the horn that it sounded like an entire army, giants lowered heir clubs, the Dracaenaes hissed, even Kronos's honor guard looked uneasy. Than to their left that a hundred monsters cried out at once, Kronos's entire northern flank surged forward, it looked like they were to it to attack for a minute but they ran past the demigods and crashed into their southern allies. A new blast of horns shattered the night air, the air shimmered and in a blur of movement that an entire cavalry appeared as though they were dropping out of light speed.

"Yeah, baby! PARTY!" Thor, Steve and Bucky seem confused, but Emily looked at Lauren and they both smiled, for they both knew what happened and who was blowing the horns. Emily turned back as a shower of arrows arced over their heads and slammed into the enemy vaporizing hundreds of demons and monsters. But the arrows were not regular arrows, for the arrows made whizzy sounds as they flew in the air, some of them have pinwheels attached to them while others have gloves rather than points. As the arrows flew that Emily and Lauren were cheering along with some of the older campers that knew exactly of what just happened. One do the campers yelled out as they cheered.

"Centaurs!" The party pony army exploded into the battle in a riot of colors, tie dyed shirts, rainbow Afro wigs, oversized sunglasses and wait painted faces, some of the centaurs have slogans across their flanks like HORZEZ PWN or KONOUS SUX. There were hundreds of centaurs, they were filling the entire block, Emily was just glad it wasn't more enemies.

"Percy!" It was Chiron that shouted across the sea of wild centaurs, he looked funny among the centaur even with being one himself. He was dressed in regular armor from the waist up, his bow was in his hand with a quiver over his shoulders and he was grinning.,"Sorry we're late!"

"DUDE! Talk later. WASTE MONSTERS NOW!" It was one of the centaurs that yelled at Chiron, the said centaur locked and loaded a double barrel paint gun before blasting an enemy hellhound bright pink. Making the hellhound look more like a giant poodle than a hellhound, Emily giggled when the pink hit the hellhound. When the paint hit the hellhound that the hellhound yelped before it dissolved into a pink and black puddle.

"PARTY PONIES. SOUTH FLORIDA!"

"HEART OF TEXAS CHAPTER!"

"HAWAII OWNS YOUR FACES!" It was the best thing Emily ever saw, the entire Titan army turned and fled from the multicolored centaurs. The monsters that stayed back were pushed back by a flood of paintballs, arrows, swords and NERF baseball bats. The centaurs were trampling everything in their path,

"Stop running, you fools! Stand and ACKK!" Emily laughed as a panicked Hyperborean giant stumbled backwards and sat on top of Kronos before he could finish of what he was going to say. The Titan army was pushed back several blocks till Chiron started to yell at the party ponies,

"HOLD! On your promise, HOLD!" It took a little but of time and a lot of effort for the order to get relayed up and down the ranks of centaurs, but the centaurs managed to pull back and allowed the enemy to flee.

"Chiron's smart. If we pursue, we'll get too spread out. We need to regroup."

"But the enemy - "

"They're not defeated. But the dawn is coming. At least we've bought some time." Emily never liked pulling back, that was the solider part of her form the war and she knows it. But she knows that they needed to attend to their wounded and died so that they could be ready for the next battle that night most likely. She was sure that there campers that were worn out like Emily was, she knows that Bucky was worn out as well. The demigods set up a two block perimeter with the command tent at the Empire State Building, of which means that they were able to use the avenger tower to help with giving more shelter for the wounded. Emily was standing close by Percy when Chiron went up to Percy and Annabeth, Bucky was standing next to her with his arms around her. Of which Emily was glad of, for she was tired as well feeling weak, it felt a little like when she blacked out when they were on the one mission at the castle in the war. However they were not eve dating at that time. Bucky has some scars and cuts and they were healing fast from his blessing as well as from the nectar that he has. The same went for Emily, Steve was close by and like Bucky he has his arms sound Lauren. Both of them looked worn out, more worn out than what Emily was feeling at the moment. Emily watched as Annabeth gave Chiron a big hug, though Thron and Mrs. O'Leary licked his face making Emily laugh.

"Ack. Enough of that, dogs. Yes, I'm glad to see you too."

"Chiron, thanks. Talk about saving the day."

"I'm sorry it took so long. Centaurs travel fast, as you know. We can bend distance as we ride. Even so, getting all the centaurs together was no easy task. The Party Ponies are not exactly organized."

"How'd you get through the magic defenses around the city?"

"They slowed us down a bit. but I think they're intended mostly to keep mortals out. Kronos doesn't want puny humans getting in the way of his great victory." When Chiron said that Emily looked over at Steve before she spoke up.

"Hey Steve, when was the last time we heard the term, puny humans?" Steve smiled slightly when Emily said that.

"I believe the last time we heard that term was the last battle of Manhattan her we fought in." Emily nodded when Steve said that.

"Actually it would be like before we knew what happen to them, though just barely with one. I believe I also heard the term, Punt god during that time." Lauren smiled slightly when Emily said that.

"Yes, so did I. I believe that was two weeks after I was found in the ice and woke up a day after I was pulled from the ice."

"Yes, when Loki was here."

"Actually I think prefer to do that battle again than this battle,mat the moment." Emily looked over at Thor when he said that.

"Let me guess, this kind of battle is rather new to you, right?"

"Yes."

"Figures." Chiron was looking over at Thor before he spoke.

"Who are you?" Emily realized that she never told him about the Norse gods so she spoke up.

"Oh years. Sorry, Chiron. I forget to tell that after the battle of the labyrinths that the Norse gods were real." Emily nodded to Thro. "At his is Thor, the Norse god of a Thunder." Chiron looked at Thor and Emily in surprise when she said that.

"You mean the Norse gods are real?"

"Just as real as an military empire." Chiron looked back over at Emily when she said that with a surprised expression, it was clear that Chiron knew about that but he didn't know she knew about it too.

"You know about that?"

"Yes, I know about that. I known since Hades adopted me." Chiron nodded an Percy spoke and changed the subject.

"So maybe other reinforcements can get through."

"Perhaps, though time is short. As soon as Kronos regroups, he will attack again. Without the element of surprise on our side . . ."

"And Typhon?"

"The gods are tiring. Dionysus was incapacitated yesterday. Typhon smashed his chariot, and the wine god went down somewhere in the Appalachians. No one has seen him since. Hephaestus is out of action as well. He was thrown from the battle so hard he created a new lake in West Virginia. He will heal, but not soon enough to help. The others still fight. They've managed to slow Typhon's approach. But the monster can not be stopped. He will arrive in New York by this time tomorrow. Once he and Kronos combine forces - "

"Then what chance do we have? We can't hold out another day."

"We'll have to, I'll see about setting some new traps around the perimeter." Thalia looked exhausted, her jacket was smeared in grime and monster dust, but she managed to get to her feet and stagger off to set up traps.

"I will help her. I should make sure my brethren don't go too overboard with the root beer." Chiron followed Thalia to either help her with setting. Up the traps or make sure that the party ponies didn't go overboard with the root beer. Emily, Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Thor managed to get inside the Empire State Building. Emily did her best to help out the Apollo cabin as well as Bucky and Lauren, Thor also tried to help with some of the medical things he learned from Asgard. Some of the wounded was taken to the avenger tower when they were able to move, Emily was sure if the others woke up that they would be wondering about that. So she told J.A.R.V.I.S. to explain things to them when they woke up provided that they were not there when they woke up. However Steve was siting in one of the chairs, when Emily managed to finish healing a camper. That the camper was taken to the avenger tower that she staggered over to where Steve was it ring before she saw down next to him, he looked over at her.

"Is this normal? When there is a battle? World War II was not eve this bad."

"Only in times of war or something similar depending on if we are in the stats or a camp out of the country. Plus there was a difference between World War II and this, we were fighting HYDRA and project demigod was towing care of most of the monsters." Before they could say anything else that they heard a strange noise form outside of the building. After two days of fighting and quiet that it was a strange to a helicopter enter New York do where it was normal to hear any other time.


	19. Chapter 19

Emily got up from where she was than she went outside. Steve, Lauren and Bucky followed her outside. Emily could hear the Titan army shouting and jeering as the helicopter came into view, it was a strange sight to see the helicopter. It was a civilian model painted dark red and there was bright green DE logo on the side of the Helicopter. Emily has a guess of what the words were under the Logo on the Helicopter. Emily looked over at Percy and Annabeth to see what their reaction was, it was clear that they recognized the helicopter as well. It was clear that Annabeth didn't want her to be here and that Annabeth sees her as threat, when it comes to Percy.

"What is she doing here? How did she get through the barrier?" Chiron spoke before Bucky, Steve or Lauren could say anything.

"Who? What mortal would be insane enough - " Suddenly the helicopter pitched forward, Emily panicked, she knew what just happened. "The Morpheus enchantment! The foolish mortal pilot is asleep." Emily watched in horror as the Helicopter started to careened sideways falling towards a row of office buildings. If the helicopter didn't crash there, that there was a chance the wind gods would swat the helicopter out of the sky for coming near the Empire State Building. Than Emily heard Annabeth whistled and one of the Pegasus swooped out of nowhere,

"Come on, Percy. We have to save your friend." Before Annabeth and Percy could get onto the Pegasus that Emily ran forward, she knew someone has fly the helicopter and Emily was one of the few people that knows of how to fly helicopter. Emily went in between Annabeth, Percy and the Pegasus, Annabeth was about ready to say something when Emily spoke.

"You don't know how to fly a helicopter."

"I have Daedalus's notes."

"That is not enough, not this time. I am going to go up there by myself and don't you dare argue." Before Percy or Annabeth could argue or say anything that Emily got up on the Pegasus and the Pegasus shot up into the air. As they got closer that Emily could hear Rachel screaming, Emily panicked a little when she heard Rachel scream as the helicopter fell. That was for two reasons, one because Rachel, somehow, was awake, and two because Rachel was awake that she was more than just a clear sighted mortal of which means only one thing. That was she has the gift of prophecy, if she has the gift of prophecy than that means she could be an oracle provided it takes hold. Emily could see the pilot was slumped over the controls pitching back and forth as the helicopter wobbled towards the side of the office building. When Emily and the Pegasus was close enough to the door that Emily managed to jump from the Pegasus and grabbed hold of the door handle. She felt a gust of warm wind, the Pegasus was blown ways just in time or otherwise the Pegasus would have an injured wing.

Emily looked down and noticed that Bucky was looking up at her, worried about what just happened. She could understood his worry, for she could been easily killed just an and that he didn't want her to go through of what he went through sixty eight years ago. Hat was unlikely through, Emily looked away as Rachel managed to open the door and helped Emily inside. Once inside that Emily closed the door before she managed to pull the pilot off from the controls and sat down as Rachel managed to get the pilot inter seat besides her. There were only seconds away from slamming into the side of the office building, Emily went it the controls and righted the helicopter before it hit the building. Emily circled the helicopter and hover it before she slowly started to descend the helicopter and landed in the middle of Fifth avenue, Percy, Annabeth, Steve, Bucky and Lauren ran forward, Rachel managed to open the side do and dragged the pilot of who was snoring rather loudly. When Emily climbed out that Bucky ran forward and hugged her, Emily hugged him back. Emily wouldn't deny that she was worried and scared that she wouldn't been able to do of what she just did. But she couldn't let Annabeth or Percy go up there, when Emily and Bucky pulled away from the hug that she noticed that Rachel was looking at her.

"You saved my life."

"You're welcome." Rachel glanced over at Percy.

"I - I had to be here. I knew Percy was in trouble."

"Got that right. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some injured friends I've got to tend to. Glad you could stop by, Rachel."

"Annabeth - " Annabeth stormed off, that reminded Emily of the one time of where the blond kissed Steve during World War II. Emily looked over at Bucky of who was looking at with a mischievous smile that similar to the one time of when they saw what happen with Steve and blond. Bucky spoke up first.

"Did that reminded you of anything?"

"You know it does, it reminded me during the time of when Steve didn't know much about women."

"Yeah, about about the time shortly after the HYDRA base of where you found me?"

"It does reminds me of that." Steve than spoke.

"Do you mind? I am married you know." Emily looked over at Steve.

"You weren't at that current time." Before they could say anything or even Percy that Rachel plopped down on the curb before she put her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I didn't mean to . . . I always mess things up." Percy looked to where Annabeth went to before looking back at Rachel.

"It's okay, So what's the message you wanted to deliver?"

"How did you know about that?"

"A dream." Rachel didn't look surprised when Percy said that, she tugged at her beard shorts, but the beach shorts were covered in drawings. Just from the shoe amount of time that Emily known Rachel that drawing on her clothes didn't seem unusual for her. But the drawings and symbols was what surprised Emily, for Emily saw them before now. For there were Greek letters, pictures from camp beers from this time as well as from the camps in World War II and before. There were sketches of monsters and faces of different gods, Emily knows for a fact that Rachel has never been to Camp Halfblood or Olympus. That only confirms the fact that there was a chance that Rachel might be he next oracle that is if Hades ever lifts that curse.

"I've been seeing things too, I mean, not just through the Mist. This is different. I've been drawing pictures, writing lines - "

"In Ancient Greek," I said. "Do you know what they say?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was hoping . . . well, if you had gone with us on vacation, I was hoping you could have helped me figure out what's happening to me." Rachel looked at Percy pleadingly, Emily knew exactly what was happening to Rachel, but she didn't want to say it. Than Rachel looked at Lauren, Steve and Bucky, Bucky and Steve were confused but Lauren wasn't though. She looked over at Emily as Emily looked at her, Emily could tell from the expression to what Lauren was asking. That she was asking if it was true that Rachel might be the next oracle provided the curse is lifted. For they both know what about the curse and what happen to May Castellan, it was something they figured out together from their demigod dreams and what Emily heard from the died. Emily nodded when she saw the expression, Lauren turned pale when Emily nodded to confirm of what Lauren was thinking. Than Percy spoke up.

"Rachel, I wish I knew. Maybe we should ask Chiron - " Before Percy could finish of what he was going to say that Rachel flinched like she had gotten an electric shock.

"Percy, something is about to happen. A trick that ends in death."

"What do you mean? Whose death?"

"I don't know. Don't you feel it?"

"Is that the message you wanted to tell me?"

"No. I'm sorry. I'm not making sense, but that thought just came to me. The message I wrote on the beach was different. It had your name in it."

"Perseus. In Ancient Greek."

"I don't know its meaning. But I know it's important. You have to hear it. It said, Perseus, you are not the hero." When Rachel said,mthst Emily panicked at once, for there was only one other child of the big three that it could be possibly. But this she remembered what happen with May Castellan and a thought hit her, she suddenly realize of who the hero was. Before she could say anything that Percy spoke.

"You came thousands of miles to tell me I'm not the hero?"

"It's important. It will affect what you do."

"Not the hero of the prophecy? Not the hero who defeats Kronos? What do you mean?"

"I'm . . . I'm sorry, Percy. That's all I know. I had to tell you because - "

"Well! This must be Miss Dare." Emily and the others looked at Chiron as he walked over to them.

"Chiron, Rachel Dare. Rachel, this is my teacher Chiron."

"Hello."

"You are not asleep, Miss Dare. And yet you are mortal?"

"I'm mortal. The pilot fell asleep as soon as we passed the river. I don't know why I didn't. I just knew I had to be here, to warn Percy."

"Warn Percy?"

"She's been seeing things. Writing lines and making drawings." Chiron raised an eyebrow when Percy said that. That he looked at Emily, a silent understanding passed between them, Chiron was aware of what happen with the oracle.

"Indeed? Tell me." Rachel told Chiron everything that she told Percy, minus the bit with Annabeth and what Emily and Bucky said afterwards. Chiron stoked his beard, he looked back at Emily mad Lauren before looking back at Rachel. "Miss Dare . . . perhaps we should talk."

"Chiron. You . . . you'll help Rachel, right? I mean, you'll warn her that she's got to be careful with this stuff. Not go too far." It was clear from what Percy said that he might known about or was aware of what happen to May at least but she was unsure if Percy knows about the oracle and the curse. Chiron's tail flicked like it does when he was anxious.

"Yes, Percy. I will do my best to understand what is happening and advise Miss Dare, but this may take some time. Meanwhile, you should rest. We've moved your parents' car to safety. The enemy seems to be staying put for now. We've set up bunks in the Empire State Building. Get some sleep."

"Everybody keeps telling me to sleep, I don't need sleep."

"Have you looked at yourself recently, Percy?" Emily was close of laughing when she realized the state that Percy was in, honestly she looks in better shape that Percy does. He looked down at himself and his clothes of which was scorched, burned, sliced and tattered from the last couple of nights of battles.

"I look like death. But you think I can sleep after what just happened?"

"You may be invulnerable in combat, but that only makes your body tire faster. I remember Achilles. Whenever that lad wasn't fighting, he was sleeping. He must've taken twenty naps a day. You, Percy, need your rest. You may be our only hope." Emily spoke.

"I seen a lot more in World War II than this, a good amount of it was worse than this. I still managed to sleep even though it was difficult at times to sleep. However this battle is different, not once did we ever had to go this many days to fight in a battle, though with some battles that days were longer than this." Percy looked like he wanted to complain, but the look in Chiron's eyes made it clear that he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"Sure. Talk." Percy walked off to the Empire State Building, once Percy was inside that Emily walked over to Chiron and grasp his wrist before Rachel and Chiron could walk off. Chiron looked at her than Emily spoke.

"Chiron, if I am right in thinking of what Rachel is and suppose to be. Don't let her do it!" Chiron looked at Emily.

"If we are correct, I will make sure that she is aware of it. Just pray and hope that when this war is over with that the curse would be lifted. Or that Rachel may not decide to follow that path." Chiron looked at Rachel. "Come let us talk." Rachel walked along side Chiron leaving Emily, Lauren, Bucky and Steve standing there. Bucky walked over to her before he spoke.

"What was that about?" Emily stared after Rachel and Emily closed her eyes, with the hope of the latter, before she spoke.

"You don't want to know, Bucky. You don't want to know."

"What curse?" It was Lauren that answered Steve's question.

"A curse that was placed just after you entered the ice, Steve. A curse that Hades placed a long time ago though part of the blame will fall on my father." Emily opened her eyes and noticed that Chiron and Rachel disappeared into the crowd of demigods and centaurs. Emily looked over at Steve and Bucky, they looked like they wanted to ask more but with the look that Emily was giving them that they decided not to ask any more.

"I am going to try to get some sleep." Emily went into the lobby of the Empire State Building and managed to find a bunk before she collapsed onto it. When she hit the bunk that she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Emily found herself once more in Hades' garden, Hades was pacing up and down holding his ears while Nico and Arabella were followed him. However Nico was waving his arms, however Arabella wasn't waving her arms though.

"You have to!" Her mother and Persephone were sitting behind them at the breakfast table, both of them looked bored of which didn't surprise Emily one bit. Her mother was pouring shredded wheat into four huge bowls, Persephone was magically changing the flower arrangement on the table. The blossoms were changing colors from red to yellow to polka-dotted, Emily could see the wizard chess set on the table that Arabella got from Christmas break during her first year at Hogwarts.

"I don't have to do anything! I'm a god!" As her adopted father said that, that Emily prayed to Hestia that Hades would listen to reason, Emily knows that Hades was holding a grudge against his family. But Emily knows he does care about his children and if he doesn't help that they could be killed, including Emily. Not only that but if Olympus falls than the under wooed wouldn't be safe from Kronos.

"Father, if Olympus falls, your own palace's safety doesn't matter. You'll fade too."

"I am not an Olympian! My family has made that quite clear."

"You are. Whether you like it or not."

"You saw what they did to your mother, Zeus killed her. And you would have me help them? They deserve what they get!" Persephone sighed when Hades said brought Nico's mother and she walked her fingers across the table. As her half sister did that, the silverware turned into roses.

"Could we please not talk about that woman?"

"You know what would help this boy? Farming." Persephone rolled her eyes as her mother said that, Emily also rolled her eyes but she knows that none of them could see her.

"Mother - "

"Six months behind a plow. Excellent character building." Emily snorted when her mother said that, that was unlikely going to happen, if ever. Nico stepped in front of his father forcing Hades to face him. Arabella walked over to Nico and stood next to Nico.

"My mother understood about family. That's why she didn't want to leave us. You can't just abandon your family because they did something horrible. You've done horrible things to them too."

"My mother had also understood about family as well and she understood love. That is why she protect my twin when Voldment wanted to kill him. She sacrifice herself so Harry could live."

"Maria died! Lily also died! Even though Zeus had nothing to do with Lily's death. I am sure if he was aware of you when you were born that he would done the same thing to Lily as he did to Maria. Killing your family while you were down here."

"You can't just cut yourself off from the other gods!"

"I've done very well at it for thousands of years."

"And has that made you feel any better? Has that curse on the Oracle helped you at all? Holding grudges is a fatal flaw. Bianca warned me about that, and she was right."

"For demigods! I am immortal, all-powerful! I would not help the other gods if they begged me, if Percy Jackson himself pleaded - "

"You're just as much of an outcast as I am! Stop being angry about it and do something helpful for once. That's the only way they'll respect you!" Hades lifted his hand and his palm filled with black fire, Emily felt herself flinch when she saw the black fire in his palm. She knew what it could but she knows Hades wouldn't use it on Nico or Arabella. For Emily knows him well enough to know that he couldn't kill Nico or Arabella with anything for he loved them too much.

"Go ahead. Blast me and Arabella. That's just what the other gods would expect from you. Prove them right."

"Yes, please. At least, shut the boy up."

"Oh, I don't know. I would rather fight in the war than eat another bowl of cereal. This is boring." Hades roared in anger than he released the fireball, the black fireball hit a silver tree right next to Arabella and Nico. The tree was melted into a pool of liquid metal.

An angry roar shook Emily awake, she fell off the bunk that she was using, Emily wasn't sure of how long she slept but her was sure it hasn't been very long. Emily heard that roar once more again, the roar sounded like it was coming from a mile away. Emily got up and left the Empire State Building, Emily saw Percy and Grover, she barley could make out who they were saying to each other. One of the things she head when she left the building that the Hephaestus cabin was out of a Greek fire. She told them not to worry about the Greek fire since she was able to make fire, no matter what kind of fire. That was not all, the Apollo cabin and the hunters were scrounging for arrows nor did the fact they she so much ambrosia and nectar that they didn't dare take any more. As she heard another roar that Emily wished that she knew of what was causing the roaring of that monster that she was hearing at the moment.

There were not very many campers, hunters or satyrs left in fighting shape. there was four demigods that since left the camp or never been to Camp to train, sixteen campers, fifteen hunters, half a dozen satyrs and a god that wasn't even Greek that was left in fighting shape. Thor and Percy were the only two without any scars, cuts or wounds, that wasn't a surprise with either one of them since one has the curse of Achilles and the other was a god. They have a bunch if a centaurs, though the centaurs were not very organized, they tried to form rank but it was difficult for them to do that. They were all staggering, giggling, and smelled like root beer, it seems that root beer acted like beer or alcohol to the centaurs. The texans were head butting with the Coloradans, the Missouri branch was arguing with Illinois. Emily was worried of what may happen when he battle comes to them, for it seems like they might end up fighting each other instead of the enemy. It seems that Lauren, Thor, Steve and Bucky were thinking along the same lines judging from the expressions on their faces.

"Why can't the centaurs form rank?" Emily looked over at Bucky when he said that.

"Because they are not exactly fighters but more of party ponies henceforth of why they are called the party ponies. They know how to fight and everything, but they are usually arguing with each other or partying instead of fighting."

"Actually from how the party ponies are acting is similar to a feast after my people had fought in a war and won it or after a victory battle." The four of them looked at Thor when he said that. Before Steve, Emily or Bucky could say anything that Lauren spoke.

"Thor, have you been to an Olympian party?" Thor looked over at Lauren when she said that.

"No, I have not." Emily spoke.

"That is something. We can add to the list of things that Thor, Bucky or Steve haven't done or seen yet." It was at that moment that Emily noticed that Chiron was trotting up with Rachel on his back, he walked over to where Percy and Annabeth were standing, of who were close be where Emily was.

"Your friend here has some useful insights, Percy." Rachel blushed when Chiron said that.

"Just some things I saw in my head."

"A drakon. A Lydian drakon, to be exact. The oldest and most dangerous kind."

"How did you know that?"

"I'm not sure. But this drakon has a particular fate. It will be killed by a child of Ares."

"How can you possibly know that?"

"I just saw it. I can't explain."

"Well, let's hope you're wrong. Because we're a little short on children of Ares. . . ." Percy cursed in Ancient Greek, Bucky and Steve looked surprised that Percy cursed in Ancient Greek, but Thor looked slightly confused. Emily leaned to Thor and whispered to him.

"All Greek demigods curse in Ancient Greek." Thor nodded when Emily said that.

"What?"

"The spy. Kronos said, We know they cannot beat this drakon. The spy has been keeping him updated. Kronos knows the Ares cabin isn't with us. He intentionally picked a monster we can't kill."

"If I ever catch your spy, he's going to be very sorry. Maybe we could send another messenger to camp - "

"I've already done it, Blackjack is on his way. But if Silena wasn't able to convince Clarisse, I doubt Blackjack will be able - " A roar shook the ground, it sounded much closer than the last few roars and Emily looked up to see if she could see the Lydian drakon.

"Rachel, get inside the building."

"I want to stay." Than a shadow blotted out the sun, across the street a drakon was slithered down the side of a skyscraper. The drakon roared and a thousand windows shattered.

"On second thought, I'll be inside." Rachel went inside the Empire State Building. Emily could hear Thor gripping his hammer and him growling much like during the last battle of Manhattan with the rest of the avengers. Emily was unsure if there was Drakons in Norse myths, but there were serpents and Emily figured that Thor was thinking it was a serpent instead of a drakon but there was differences between the two. Sure there winged serpents but winged serpents were not as big as drakens, Emily would admit that she preferred the pig. But she figured not to point out he difference between a serpent and a drakon to Thor at the moment, The enemy army was advancing down fifth avenue, the cars were pushed out of the way to keep the mortals safe. None of the demigods wanted the mortals to be harm's way but it just made it easier for the enemy to approach the Empire State Building. The party ponies were swishing their tails, Chiron was galloping along their ranks trying to to encourage them.

"I'll take the drakon. I'LL TAKE THE DRAKON! Everyone else, hold the line against the army!" Emily notice that Thor was about ready to say something as well as Steve and Bucky when Percy said that. But Emily looked at them before shook her head when they saw her looking at them and gave them a look at told them that it would be better if they fought the enemy instead of the drakon. Even if the three of them have a better chance of killing it, but if Emily was right in thinking that Rachel was the the next host for the oracle, for they wouldn't be able to kill at thing unless if there was a child of Ares around. When the enemy was close enough that they started fighting, the fighting wasn't doing well even with Thor there helping them. Emily and Lauren helped with the storm powers and let the storm changed seasons, but they were still losing ground though. A few of the monsters were hit by Steve's shield or Thor's hammer, since the last battle last night that Steve managed to change into his Captain America uniform, Lauren was wearing her gold jacket and a gold sun necklace that showed her as the leader of the howling commandos.

Or at least the one that will lead the howling commandos when Emily and Steve couldn't lead them into a mission or battle. Bucky since changed into his howling commando uniform, just before the fighting started that Emily had touched one of three leaves on her green bracelet. She was glad that she asked Hephaestus to change the satchel into a third green leave on her bracelet. She has her shield on one arm and her sword that she got from her mother when the fighting started that she was fighting along side Bucky, Steve and Lauren. Even though Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Emily were the oldest demigods, not counting Thor, Steve and Bucky didnzmt have the kind of power over their abilities as Emily and Lauren did. Even with Emily, Lauren and her fighting that the demigod were owing ground so they retreated to the doors of the Empire State Building. The entire Titan army was surrounding them. There was no help coming, not this time as far as Emily knows, as the fought at the doors that Thor spoke.

"You know, I never been in a battle like this before. I knew some of the battles I had faces were difficult. But I was never been prepared for anything like this."

"That is because you are a Norse god, not a Greek demigod. So you were raised differently than Lauren and myself, for Lauren and I had been in training ever since we were ten." Than there was a rumbling in the south and it wasn't a sound that one hardly hears in New York but Emily recognized it at once, Chariot wheels. Than a girl's voice yelled out.

"ARES!" A dozen war chariots charged into battle, each flew a red banner with the symbol of the wild boar's head. Each of the war chariots were being pulled by a team of skeletal horses with manes of fire. Not they have a total thirty fresh warriors. Their armor was gleaming, eyes full of hate, and they lowered their lances as one. They were making a wall of death as they charged forward, Emily smiled as the children of a Ares charged forward.

"The children of Ares! How did Rachel know?" The drakon managed to throw off Mrs. O'Leary and Thron before the drakon zeroed in on the ares campers. Two of the drivers crashed into cars due to the one eye that the drakon has left.

"Ares, to me!" Emily looked at the girl who screamed, Emily knows the counselors of each cabin at camp or at least their names. She may not know some of them as well as others, but she knows that Clarisse was the counselor for the Ares Cabin. But it seem that there was something off about Clarisee and she couldn't figure out what it was. Her voice sounded shrilled than usual for one thing but Emily couldn't figure it out than since the enemy was thrown into confusion. It allowed the demigods to gain some ground, Emily fought the enemy and watched as Clarisse's chariots circled the drakon. Things started to go wrong with fighting the drakon at once, for the drakon knocked one down and sprayed poison on another child of Ares. The area camper backed up as a result of the poison, Emily couldn't blame him for that, Emily wasn't even sure if the poison of a drakon would kill her. Emily heard Annabeth say that they needed help, Percy was telling Thron to stay back while Annabeth and Percy got on the back of the drakon.

Emily and Bucky went closer to keep the enemy away from the Ares cabin so that the Ares cabin could kill the drakon. For the drakon was the biggest threat in this battle at the moment since it was the most dangerous of the monsters. The Ares cabin thrown javelins, of which most of them broke, but some were lodged in the monster's teeth and Emily could hear Percy screaming at Clarisse. "You can do it! A child of Ares is destined to kill it!" Emily looked at Clarisse, she felt hope leaving her so Emily reached out to her with hope that she could do this. When Emily's hope touched her that she pulled back with slight shock. For Emily sensed something was wrong with Clarisse, Emily remembered the words that Rachel said earlier that day. Emily rolled to the side as a sword tried to kill her, Emily knocked the sword out of the hand of the monster before she killed it. Than Emily looked back as Silena charged at the drakon yelling Ares, Emily wanted to yell not and tell her to stop but it was to late. The monster was looking down at Silena in disgust before spitting poison in her face, than Silena screamed and fell.

"Clarisse!" Annabeth jumped off the back of the drakon before running over to help her. The Ares campers tried to defend Silena still thinking that she was Clarisse, Emily ran over and killed a couple of monsters before she managed to reach Silena. Emily and Annabeth tried to remove the helmet for the next few minutes but with no luck, than a flying chariot landed on fifth avenue. Emily looked up as a Chris, from the Hermes cabin, and Clarisse, the real Clarisse, leave the flying chariot. Clarisse ran over to were Annabeth and Emily were, she was crying and shaking with grief, Emily knows of why that was for Silena and Clarisse were best friends. Emily noticed that Annabeth looks shock when the flying chariot landed, it was clear that Annabeth thought the same thing as the Ares campers did.

"NO! Curse you, WHY?" Clarisse knelt down by the fallen girl holding Silena in her arms, Emily and Annabeth were still struggling with the helmet as Clarisse was holding the girl. "WHY?" Chris rave over from the chariot and over to Clarisse. Than the drakon tugged it's head from the brick wall before screaming in range.

"Look out!" The drakon whirled toward the sound of Chris's voice before it bares it's fangs at them, Clarisse looked up at the drakon, her face was filled with absolute hate, Emily knows she could use her aura to have people feel death and fear. It was almost like that looking at Clarisse at the moment but it looked more a killing machine that radiate terror. It made Emily feel small and weak like Steve was before the serum was placed in him. Than Clarisse screamed at the drakon,

"YOU WANT DEATH? WELL, COME ON!" Clarisse grabbed her spear from Silena before she charged the drakon without armor or a shield. Percy tried to close the distance to help but Clarisse was faster than Percy was. For Clarisse leaped aside as the drakon struck, pulverizing the ground in front of her, it hat reminded Emily too much of Thor when Clarisse went aside. Than Clarisse jumped onto the Drakon's head and it reared up when she did that, than she drove her electric spear into it's one good eye. There was so much force beyond that, that the Speer shattered the shaft before it released all of the magic in the spear. Electricity arched across the creature's head, causing it's whole body to shudder. Clarisse jumped free, rolling safely to the sidewalk as smoke came from the drakon's mouth. The flesh of the drakon dissolved before it collapsed into a hollow scaly tunnel of armor.

Emily looked back to Silena after Clarisse killed the drakon, as Emily finally manages to take the helmet off of Silena that Clarisse came running back over to them. Not only that but as Emily managed to pulled the helmet off from Silena's head that everyone gathered around or at least the Ares campers did. For eve oneness was to busy to fight with the other monsters that were tripping to get to the Empire State Building. Chris, Percy, and Annabeth were there as well to see of who was the one wearing Clarisse's armor. When the helmet came off that Emily saw the damage that was done and she knew that she couldn't help or save Silena. Her once beautiful features was now badly wounded with the poison that was on her face. Nothing could save Silena from her fate, not even Emily could do that, for she could see Silena's life force fading as she breathed heavy.

"What were you thinking?" Emily moved aside so that Clarisse get to Silena better and she was now cradling Silena's head in her lap. Silena tried to shallow but her lios were dry and cracked.

"Wouldn't . . . listen. Cabin would . . . only follow you."

"So you stole my armor, You waited until Chris and I went out on patrol; you stole my armor and pretended to be me." Clarisse glared at her siblings. "And NONE of you noticed?" The ares campers looked down at their combat boots.

"Don't blame them. They wanted to . . . to believe I was you."

"You stupid Aphrodite girl, You charged a drakon? Why?"

"All my fault, The drakon, Charlie's death . . . camp endangered - "

"Stop it! That's not true." Silena opened he hand, Emily almost cried out in shock, in Silena's pal was a silver bracelet with a scythe charm on it, the mark of Kronos.

"You were the spy." Silena had tried to nodded but couldn't.

"Before . . . before I liked Charlie, Luke was nice to me. He was so . . . charming. Handsome. Later, I wanted to stop helping him, but he threatened to tell. He promised . . . he promised I was saving lives. Fewer people would get hurt. He told me he wouldn't hurt . . . Charlie. He lied to me." Emily looked up from Silena to look at Annabeth, Emily always had the idea that Annabeth likes Luke. Annabeth's face was chalky,Moshe looked like someone just yanked the world out from under her feet. Emily could hear the battle going on around them, than Clarisse scowled at her cabin mates.

"Go, help the centaurs. Protect the doors. GO!" The ares cabin went and joined the fight. Silena took a heavy painful breath.

"Forgive me."

"You're not dying." Emily knew that wasn't true, for Emily could see the life aura fading and it was fading fast. Silene's eyes were a million miles away.

"Charlie . . .See Charlie . . ." It was than that the life aura faded out completely, Clarisse looked over at Emily as well as the few that remained behind her of which was few. Even though they know she was Emily Barnes, they knew that she was adopted by Hades later after it was known she was a daughter of Demeter. They knew that she knows when one dies, Emily could hear the buzzing in her ear and she could feel Silena being judged now. Emily was looking at Clarisse, Emily smiled lightly before lowering her head, they all knew that means, that Silena was dead but went to Elysium due to her heroic deed. Clarisse held Silena before she started to weep, Chris put a hand on her shoulder as Clarisse cried. Annabeth closed Silena's eyes before she spoke,her voice was brittle as she spoke.

"We have to fight. She gave her life to help us. We have to honor her."

"She was a hero, understand? A hero."

"Come on, Clarisse." Clarisse picked up a sword from one of her fallen siblings

"Kronos is going to pay."when Clarisse joined the fight that there was no stopping her, she was like a demon in a rage of utterly and total destruction. She rode her chariot straight into the Titan's army, crushing everything that went into her way or on her path. Because of that a new hope went through the demigods, the panicked centaurs started to rally, the hunters and the Apollo cabin were scrounging arrows from the fallen and launched volley after volley into they enemy. The Ares cabin was slashing and hacking through the monsters, the monsters retreated towards 35th street. Than Clarisse drove to the drakon's carcass before she looped a grappling line thought it's eye sockets. Than Clarisse lashed her horses and took off, dragging the drakon behind her like a Chinese New Year dragon. Clarisse charged after the enemy yelling insults at them as well as daring them to cross her. As Clarisse did that, that red fire appeared around Clarisse that surrounded her like an aura. Emily stood there watching her as Lauren, Steve, Thor and Bucky came up behind her, it was Thor who spoke.

"Emily, I thought you and Bucky were the only ones with fire." Emily shook her head when he said that, she was close of laughing as well.

"That is not fire you are seeing, Thor. What you are seeing is the blessing of Ares. At the moment it would be like carrying the curse of achilles."

"I AM CLARISSE, DRAKON-SLAYER!" she yelled. "I will kill you ALL! Where is Kronos? Bring him out! Is he a coward?"

"Clarisse! Stop it. Withdraw!"

"What's the matter, Titan lord? BRING IT ON!" Lauren than spoke.

"There is no doubt that she is a daughter of ares." Emily smiled when Lauren said that, there was no answer from the enemy. While Clarisse was yelling insults and daring them to cross her that the campers tended to the wounded. Long after the Titan army retreated that Clarisse kept demanding Kronos to meet her in battle. Thor seem surprised by Clarisse as she kept demanding that, when they were finished that the five of them were standing close to where Percy,Annabeth and Chris were.

"I'll watch her. She'll get tired eventually. I'll make sure she comes inside."

"What about the camp? Is anybody left there?"

"Only Argus and the nature spirits. Peleus the dragon is still guarding the tree."

"They won't last long. But I'm glad you came."

"I'm sorry it took so long. I tried to reason with Clarisse. I said there's no point in defending camp if you guys die. All our friends are here. I'm sorry it took Silena . . ."

"My Hunters will help you stand guard, Annabeth and Percy, you should go to Olympus. I have a feeling they'll need you up there - to set up the final defense."

While Bucky, Thor, Steve and Bucky help stand guard that Emily went up with Annabeth, Percy and Grover to Olympus. For Emily has a feeling that she was needed up there as well. Of why she was needed up there was something she wasn't sure of, it was just a feeling she has. When they reached the throne room that the bronze doors creaked open. Their footsteps echoed on the marble floor, the constellations twinkled coldly on the ceiling of the great hall. When Emily looked at the hearth that she felt her heart do a somersault, the hearth was down to a dull red glow. Her patron goddess, Hestia of who was still in her form of a little girl in brown robes, was hunched at it's edge shivering. Standing at the foot of Zeus's throne, looking up at the stars, was Rachel and she was holding a Greek ceramic vase. Percy went over to Rachel before he spoke.

"Rachel? Um, what are you doing with that?"

"I found it. It's Pandora's jar, isn't it?"

"Please put down the jar."

"I can see Hope inside it. So fragile." Rachel ran her fingers over the ceramic designs and than she looked up at Emily. "Just like I could see hope in you, Emily. As well as that bond." Emily raised an eyebrow when Rachel said that, Emily has no idea of what Rachel was talking about.

"Rachel." That seem to bring Rachel back into reality than she held out the jar to Percy and Percy took the vase from her.

"Grover. Let's scout around the palace. Maybe we can find some extra Greek fire or Hephaestus traps."

"But - " Annabeth elbowed Grover.

"Right! I love traps!" Annabeth dragged Grover out of the throne room. Over by the fire, Hestia was huddling in her robes, rocking back and forth. It was a sight that Emily thought she would never see and hope to never see again. Emily walked over to Hestia before she sat down next to her, it was than that Percy spoke.

"Come on, I want you to meet someone." Percy and Rachel came over to Emily and Hestia before they sat down next to Hestia.

"Lady Hestia."

"Hello, Percy Jackson. Getting colder. Harder to keep the fire going."

"I know. The Titans are near." Hestia focus on Rachel.

"Hello, my dear. You've come to our hearth at last."

"You've been expecting me?" Hestia held her hands out, the coals glowed more than they were a few moments before. Emily saw images, else saw the fourth of juke fireworks as well as celebrating her birthdays at camp with Lauren. As well as playing with Lauren while at camp when they were only ten years old, as well as the pranks and tricks she did with the help of the Hermes cabin and Lauren during her time at camp or it was the pranks and tricks she pulled on the Hermes cabin with the help of Lauren. Emily was sure if Arabella saw her time at Camp that she would call Emily and Lauren the Weasley twins of Camp Halfblood. She also saw her times with Bucky and Steve after camp but before they fell off the face of the planet. She also saw her time after Steve woke and Bucky got his memories back as well as getting to know the avengers in the avenger tower and just goofing off. Counting Arabella, the avengers was the strangest group of people ever known, thought she seen and was part of a stranger group. Emily knows that the other two were seeing different things from what she saw.

"To claim your place at the hearth, you must let go of your distractions. It is the only way you will survive."

"I . . . I understand."

"Wait. What is she talking about?" Emily thought of telling him but Rachel took a shaky breath before she spoke.

"Percy, when I came here . . . I thought I was coming for you. But I wasn't. You and me . . ." Rachel shook her head.

"Wait. Now I'm a distraction? Is this because I'm 'not the hero' or whatever?"

"I'm not sure I can put it into words, I was drawn to you because . . . because you opened the door to all of this. I needed to understand my true sight. But you and me, that wasn't part of it. Our fates aren't intertwined. I think you've always known that, deep down." Rachel gestured at the thrones as she spoke.

"So . . . what, 'Thanks for bringing me to Olympus. See ya.' Is that what you're saying?" Rachel just stared at the fire but didn't say anything else.

"Percy Jackson, Rachel has told you all she can. Her moment is coming, but your decision approaches even more rapidly. Are you prepared?" Emily watched as Percy looked at the jar before he looked back at Hestia, her red eyes were glowing warmly. It was clear of what Percy decided to do, than Hestia looked at Emily and Emily was looking back at her.

"My champion, you have grow even more than what I thought possible when I made you my champion. I knew you were meant for many things, as Lieutenant USA, you stand as one of the symbols of the freedom and hope of the people and the same can be said for the demigods as you know by now. You may not be a hero of any great prophecy but you are the one that stands up and gives hope to who needs it the most in times like this. But soon, you will be the one of the ones that will help bring two worlds together and have them work together in due time, your role in this is just as important as the others that are part of that." Emily knows that Percy, maybe Rachel, would not understood what Hestia meant by that but Emily understood at once of what Hestia means. Than she heard footsteps, Annabeth and Grover came back into the throne room, they stopped when the tow of them saw Rachel, Percy and Emily sitting by Hestia.

"Percy? Should we, um, leave again?" Percy was looking at Rachel before he spoke.

"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you? I mean . . . you talked to Chiron, right?"

"You're worried about me doing something stupid?"

"But I mean . . . will you be okay?"

"I don't know. That kind of depends on whether you save the world, hero." Emily smiled a little when race said that, than Percy picked up Pandora's jar, he held the jar out to Hestia.

"Hestia, I give this to you as an offering."

"I am the least of the gods. Why would you trust me with this?"

"You're the last and the most important."

"And why is that, Percy Jackson?"

"Because Hope survives best at the hearth, Guard it for me, and I won't be tempted to give up again." Hestia smiled when Percy said that, it was clear that she expected this from Percy, she took the jar from Percy. When Hestia touched it that it began to glow, the hearth burned a little brother, Emily smiled when that happens.

"Well done, Percy Jackson, may the gods bless you." Emily got up as Percy went over to his father's throne. Percy tried to get up there than he looked over at Grover and Annabeth.

"Help me up."

"'Are you crazy?"

"Probably."

"Percy, the gods really don't appreciate people sitting in their thrones. I mean like turn-you-into-a-pile-of-ashes don't appreciate it."

"I need to get his attention. It's the only way."

"Well, this'll get his attention." Annabeth and Grover went over to Percy before they helped Percy up, they watched and waited as Percy spoke with his father. Emily assumed he was talking with his father at the moment. After what seemed like forever that Percy finally slipped down from the throne, he was still was somewhat pale and steam was curling off of his shirt and his hair on his arms was singed.

"Are you okay? You turned pale and . . . you started smoking."

"I did not!"

"If you'd sat there any longer, you would've spontaneously combusted. I hope the conversation was worth it?"

"We'll find out soon." Just than the throne room doors were swung open, Thalia marched in along with Thor. Thor looked somewhat worn out but other wise he seems fine, Thalia, on the other hand, was different for her bow was snapped in half and her quiver was empty. She looked rather worn out for an immortal hunter.

"You've got to get down there. The enemy is advancing. And Kronos is leading them." When they reached the ground floor that the Titan army was around the entire building and they were twenty feet from the door, maybe. The battle was raging, Kronos's vanguard was in the lead of the attack of which has Ethan, the Dracaenae queen and two Hyperboreans. But she didn't see Prometheus, of which didnzmt surprise Emily, for she knows that Prometheus was not a fighter unlike the other titans that were part of this war. In front of the vanguard was Kronos and there was only one person that was standing in his way was ...

"Chiron." Emily wasn't sure if Chiron could hear them or not, it was possible that he was only focusing on Kronos at the moment.

"Step aside, little son."

"I'm afraid not." Emily noticed that the others tried to move, but for some reason she was able to move, she figured that Kronos thought she wasn't worth the effort and saw the other four more of a threat than Emily. Of which is unlikely since Emily was training longer and was more powerful but she didn't care though since it was not her fight to go against Kronos. Emily managed to get over to Bucky was, of who was close by, as well as Thor, Steve and Lauren. When Emily reached him at he pulled her towards him and held her close to himself, she put her arms around his neck. It seems like most of both armies was watching Chiron and Kronos.

"Chiron! Look out!" It seems that the Dracaenae queen became impatient and charged forward towards Chrion. The arrow in the bow flew between her eyes, the Dracaenae queen vaporized on the spot and the armor she was wearing clattered to the asphalt. Chiron reached for another arrow but Chiron didn't have any more arrows, so he dropped the bow and drew his sword. Emily was worried for she knows that Chiron didn't like using the sword, not only that it was never favorite or bet weapon. Kronos chuckled when Chiron pulled out his sword.

"You're a teacher. Not a hero."

"Luke was a hero. He was a good one, until you corrupted him."

"FOOL! You filled his head with empty promises. You said the gods cared about me!"

"Me. You said me." Emily smiled when Chiron said that to Kronos, it seemed Kronos didn't realize that Luke spoke for a brief moment. Kronos looked confused for a moment, it was at that moment that Chiron tried strike at Kronos. But Kronos regain his focus before he went into action as a result that Kronos knocked Chiron's blade aside.

"BACK!" A blinding white light exploded between Kronos and Chiron, Chiron flew into the side of a building with such force that the wall crumbled before it collapsed on top of him.

"No!" The freezing spell must have broken for Percy, Annabeth and Thalia ran over to Chiron but there was no sigh of Chiron. Than Annabeth turned to Kronos.

"YOU! To think that I . . . that I thought - " Annabeth drew her knife

"Annabeth, don't." Percy tried to take her arm but Annabeth shook Percy off of her, this she tried to attack Kronos. Kronos's smug smile faded, she plunged her knife at his collar none but the knife bounced right off instead of going into his chest like it was suppose to. Annabeth doubled over, clutching her arm to her stomach, Percy yanked Annabeth back as Kronos swung his scythe of where Annabeth was standing before Percy yanked her back. Annabeth was screaming at Kronos.

"I HATE you!"

"I have to fight him."

"It's my fight too, Percy!"

"So much spirit. I can see why Luke wanted to spare you. Unfortunately, that won't be possible." Emily looked at Thor, Bucky, Lauren and Steve, none of them were sure what to do now and no one was fighting. Kronos raised his scythe to attack Percy, Percy was ready to defend himself but before Kronos could strike that two dog's howls pierced the air somewhere behind the titan's army.

"Arroooooooo!"

"Thron?"

"Fluffy?" Emily knows that one of the howls wasn't Mrs, O'Leary since Mrs. O'Leary was just behind Emily. The enemy forces were stirring uneasily when they heard the howling of the two hellhounds, this the unexpected happen. The Titan army began to part to clear a path through the street almost like something behind them was forcing them to make the path. Soon there was a free aisle down the center of fifth avenue, standing at the end of the block were two giant dogs, Thron and Fluffy. Unlike with a Thron, Fluffy has three heads, Emily hasn't seen Fluffy in a while since he was more of Arabella's pet hellhound like Mrs, O'Leary was her pet hellhound. There were two figures in black armor in front of Thron and Fluffy, they both looked small next to the two hellhounds, but one was a but tower than her other one was though. One of the figures has silver designs on the armor and that the silver designs kept moving and changing, Emily smiled when she realized of who the two figures were.

"Nico?"

"Arabella!"

"ROWWF!" Thron bounced over to Percy while Fluffy remained behind Arabella as Nico and Arabella strode forward. The Titan army fell back before the two of the like they radiated death, of which they did.

"Got your message. Is it too late for us to join the party?"

"Son of Hades and Daughter of Hades. Do you two love death so much you wish to experience it?"

"Your death would be great for us."

"I was going to say that Nico, no fair. That is one of many facts that I agree with my brother on."

"I'm immortal, you fool! I have escaped Tartarus. You two have no business here, and no chance to live." Nico and Arabella drew their Stygian iron swords.

"I don't agree."

"Make that we both disagree with that." The ground rumbled, cracks appeared in the road, the cracks appeared pretty much everywhere. Skeletal hands grasped the air as the dead claws their way onto the world of the living, there thousands of the dead coming up. Even if Arabella were using their powers together that she knows that they wouldn't be able to call up that many. Bucky held her tighter to him, even though he wasn't total sure of what else may happen that she was sure he didn't want to let to of her. Emily knew what was happening and who was bring the dead up to the world of the living. The monsters were getting jumpy as the dead clawed their way to the world of the living, they started to back up.

"HOLD YOUR GROUND! The dead are no match for us." The sky turned dark and cold, the shadows thickened around the street, Bucky held her closer as this happen. A harsh war horn sounded, as the dead soldiers formed ranks with heir weapons that an enormous chariot roared down fifth avenue. It came to a stop between Arabella and Nico, the horses were living shadows fashioned from darkness. The chariot was inlaid with obsidian and gold, decorated with scenes of different painful deaths. Holding the reigns himself was a hades, her adopted father, right behind him was Persephone her half sister and Demeter, her mothers hades was wearing black armor, a cloak of fresh blood or what looked like fresh blood, and on too of his head was the helm of darkness. The fear that came from the helm reached her, she could feel Bucky shiver from the fear that case from the helm, but it didn't effect Emily as much as it did Bucky. It affected only slightly unlike Arabella or Nico since she wasn't born a daughter of Hades. Hades was smile coldly at Kronos, it was than that Thor whispered to her.

"Are those Greek gods?"

"Yes, the man is Hades, god of the underworld and my adopted father. The woman with the gold wheat dress is Demeter, goddess of the harvest and my mother. The last woman is Persephone, queen of the underworld and my half sister." Before Thor could say anything else that Hade spoke.

"Hello, Father. You're looking . . . young."

"Hades, I hope you and the ladies have come to pledge your allegiance."

"I'm afraid not. My son and daughter here convinced me that perhaps I should prioritize my list of enemies. As much as I dislike certain upstart demigods, it would not do for Olympus to fall. I would miss bickering with my siblings. And if there is one thing we agree on - it is that you were a TERRIBLE father." Emily noticed that Hades looked at Percy when he made the comment about upstart demigods.

"True. No appreciation of agriculture." Emily rolled her eyes when her mother said the, Steve looked at Emily confused when Emily did that. Steve doesn't know of how much their mother could carry on about the harvest or even cereal. Steve only spoke to their mother a couple of times and there was a huge space of time between those times, once at Emily's wedding sixty eight years ago and once at his wedding a few months ago.

"Mother!" Hades drew his sword, of which was a double edged Stygian blade etched with silver.

"Now fight me! For today the House of Hades will be called the saviors of Olympus."

"I don't have time for this." Kronos struck the ground with his scythe, a crack spread in both directions circling the Empire State Building. A wall of force shimmered along the fissure line, separating Kronos's vanguard, Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Thalia from most of the two armies. Emily, Thor, Lauren, Steve and Bucky were on the side of where the army was, Steve than spoke.

"What's he doing?" Emily looked around, she noticed that the barriers were collapsing, she could heard the sounds of New York coming alive. The city was coming back to life once more.

"He is sealing them in, he is collapsing the magic barriers around Manhattan. He cutting off just the Empire State building and them." The noise started to get louder as the city woke up more from their few days of sleeping in a battle that they were unaware of. Pedestrians wee waking up, all of the pedestrians and drivers were staring at the monsters and the zombies, uncomprehendingly at first. There was now way for her to know of what the mortals were seeing through the mist, but she was sure that some of them saw through the mist to see what was really going on. Emily knows that the other four can see through the mist for they have proved that fact not too long ago. This hades caused a distraction, he charged at the wall of force but the chariot crashed against it before it overturned. Hades got to his feet, cursing before he tried to blast the wall with black energy but the barrier held. "ATTACK!" The army of the died clashed with the monsters, Emily was about ready to go over to Nico and Arabella when Hades looked over at her before he shouted at her. "EMILY, CALL THE OTHER FOUR." Emily nodded when he said that than she touched the ear piece in her ear and spoke into it.

"Tony, Natasha, Bruce, Clint!" When Emily said their names that she could hear them talking and brought that they were during up when they saw the monsters outside of the Avengers tower. Emily warned the that there was wounded demigods, spirits and satyrs in the avenger tower. It took a minute before Clint and Natasha came running out of the tower while Tony flew out of the tower, an he hulk jumped down next to them. Tony landed next to Steve while Arabella ran over to Emily and stood next to her as Bucky let go of her and stood on her other side. They were pretty much standing the same way as when the aliens came through the portal expect instead of Steve next to her it was Bucky. Bucky and Lauren were standing on either side of Steve. Now that all ten of them were that she was sure that this would most likely look like a battle between the avengers and something. Emily looked at all ten of the. Before looking at Steve than she spoke.

"Call it, Steve."


	20. Chapter 20

When Emily said to call it that Steve seem surprised, Emily figured that Steve assumed that she would this fight with the avengers. True she could but he was more of the second in command while Tony was the backer of the group and Steve was the leader of the group. Emily knows that though he last few days that Steve have a lot of first, as well as most of this seems really new to him as week as very different from World War II. Even though World War II was started by a demigod, that there was still mortals fighting unlike with the battles they have in the last few days. Besides Emily's main job, besides benign second in command of the howling commandos,mess to make sure the monsters didn't kill the howling commandos. But there was a few times of where the how lint commandos fought with a monster before. Steve looked over at Lauren and Thor before he gave any orders.

"Thor and Lauren, I need you two to make as big of a storm that you can make." Dark clouds started to form and lighting light up across the sky and Steve looked over at Tony, Clint and Natasha. "Tony, I want you to do the same thing as in the last battle we had when the avengers were formed. Barton, Natasha, keep the monsters away from this area and the mortals." All three of them went to what they are suppose to be doing. Steve looked over at the Hulk. "Hulk." The hulk turned to look at Steve. "Smash." The hulk jumped away before he started smashing the monsters that were left in the area, than Steve looked over at Emily and Arabella. "Emily, I need you to use the ability over the season to help Thor and Lauren with the storm, do whatever you can with it. Arabella use the shadows."Steve than looked at Bucky. "Bucky, we will stay here and help back the monsters away from the building."

Bucky didn't seem to happy that he wasn't going to be with Emily but he wasn't going to say no. For she knows at Bucky didn't want to leave Steve's side either. During he fighting that there was darkness that would choke the monsters or even the shadows. There was lightning that hit the monsters or big hail stones as well as snowballs and huge rain drops. As Emily fought that she used her sword and shield, as well as her powers over the plants. Most of the time Mrs. O'Leary was bounded after Emily, helping Emily to fight the monsters. Just as Emily cut off the head of a monster that she saw Typhon starting to cross the river, when he reached the middle of the river that the water rose up around him. The water started to chain him up, Poseidon came up with the cyclops and a hole was made, Typhon entered the hole. As son as that happen that Emily heard a scream from above her, Emily looked up as the balls stopped hitting Olympus. It sounded like a male that screamed out in pain, but Emily wasn't sure on that though, she just knew it came from Olympus. The monsters, or what was left of them, backed up and ran, the demigods and the avengers managed to finish off most of the remaining or running monsters.

The next few hours went by quickly for Emily, she went around Olympus as well as the avenger tower to help with the wounded. She managed to go to Central Park and helped restore the plants in the pair as well as grow a few new plants as well. Emily also did that with other parks as well that were in Manhattan, the stones that were in the road were taken off the roads to allow the cars to move more freely. Thron even managed to get Chiron out of the rubble, Emily was glad to know that he wasn't died but he was risen back to camp due to his injuries. The best part for Emily was when Nico and Arabella entered Olympus, they got a hero's welcome with their father right behind them. It seems that no one cares that Hades wasn't suppose to be on Olympus since he was only allowed to come at the Winter Solstice. Her adopted father seem stunned when his relatives clapped him on his back, Emily knows he never got such an enthusiastic welcome before from his family. Emily noticed that Arabella seem stunned and surprised by the greeting she was getting from everyone, just like Nico. Clarisse married in still shivering from her time in the ice block, her father bellowed when he saw her.

"There's my girl!" Ares ruffled her hair before he pounded her on the back calling her the best warrior he ever seen. "That drakon-slaying? THAT'S what I'm talking about!" Emily was already in the throne room when Thor, Steve, Bucky and Lauren managed to get away from the crowds and walked over to where emit was sitting. Of which was besides Hestia in front of the Hearth. Lauren looked at Hestia before she knelt. That seem to surprise Thor, Steve and Bucky when Lauren knelt in front of Hestia as oppose to Emily of who was sitting next to her.

"Lady Hestia."

"Greetings, Lauren. The last time I saw you and spoke with you was just before that attack on the last hydra base. When you and Emily had come to my hearth at camp. It's nice to see you back at the hearth." Emily remembers that day all to well, for Hestia told her things that she never forget and never will. For Hestia told her that she was a protector of family, home, Hearth and most important of all, hope. At the time, Emily didn't understood till she became Hestia's champion and started to learn of how to handle her new powers. When Emily helped the demigods and protect them from the dangers till camp that she understood of what Hestia means by what she said that day. There other things as well, if she hadn't accepted Hades's offer the the howling commandos wouldn't be helping and protecting demigods and mortals from every possible threat or most of them at any rate. Than Hestia looked at Bucky, Thor, and Steve before Hestia spoke once more. "Welcome to our hearth. It is nice you three found your to our hearth." Steve, Bucky, and Thor looked at each other before they looked back at Hestia. Emily was sure that they were slightly confused since Hestia was in her eight year old form at the moment. It was Thor that spoke.

"You are one of the gods?"

"I am indeed, Thor Odinson." Lauren since moved from where she was kneeling, she was sitting next to Emily. Emily looked away from Thor and the other two so that they would see the smiles that crept into their faces. For it was just too funny to see that look of shock and surprise on Thor's face.

"How do you know my name?"

"I am the goddess of home, hearth and family. One of my duties is to look after families as a result I know who they are as the grew older. However you are one of the few exceptions since you were not raised, but after your banishment that I had since kept an eye you even when you were not here." Thor looked over at Emily when Emily managed to look bad at Steve, Bucky and Thor.

"Are you related to her?"

"Yes, she is my aunt and my patron goddess." Thor raised an eyebrow when Emily said that.

"Do you know about my life besides I already told you?"

"No." Thor kept his one eyebrow raised when Emily said that. "I am not a goddess, just immortal. However I could see what your life was like if I wanted to but I can't do it like Hestia can. I have to either touch your forehead to look though your memories or give you hope in order to do that. I am not going to go though your memories, as for giving you hope, you don't need me to do that unless if it seems like you are failing too much or weaken too much or losing hope. Sure you were getting weaker in the battle in the last few days, that was only because of the amount of fighting you were doing was different from any fight you had before. However you not as weaken as the demigods by the battle, nor were losing hope or failing and there was a lot of demigods out there that were started to lose hope, getting weaker and failing. Other than helping the storm and making the plants grew around the enemy that I was also using hope on all those demigods. As for touching your forehead you are a little too talk for me to reach up here." When's Emily said that Steve spoke up.

"It sounds like you were over using your powers again." Emily looked over at Steve.

"I was, but I had more time to get a much better control over them. Though I had a good control over them in the war. I grow a lot over the years with using my powers so I don't pass out as Emily as I did the one time back in the war. But I am just surprised I didn't pass out during that final battle or after considering what I was doing." Steve nodded when Emily said that, Bucky was about ready to say something when Hera had spoke.

"I suppose I won't destroy you and that little girl now." Emily looked over at Hera when she said that, Emily noticed Hera was looking at Percy and Annabeth, Hera sniffed in disdain.

"Annabeth saved Olympus, She convinced Luke to stop Kronos." It was than that Thor, Steve and Bucky sat down by the hearth right next to Emily and Lauren.

"Hmm." Emily looked over at Dionysus, she was trying not laugh since his head was wrapped in a bandage, he was looking at Percy before he spoke.

"Well, Percy Jackson. I see Pollux made it through, so I suppose you aren't completely inept. It's all thanks to my training, I suppose."

"Urn, yes, sir."

"As thanks for my bravery, Zeus has cut my probation at that miserable camp in half. I now have only fifty years left instead of one hundred."

"Fifty years, huh?"

"Don't get so excited, Jackson! I still plan on making your life miserable."

"Naturally." Steve, Thor and Bucky looked over at Emily and Lauren when Dionysus said that. It looked like one of them was going to say something but Emily mouthed to them, don't worry about it.

"Just so we understand each other." Dionysus turned back to his grapevine throne before he began to repair his grapevine throne, which was singed by fire.

"Is he always like that?" Emily looked over at Thor when he said that.

"He is just grouchy because he has to stay at camp for fifty years now apparently. He doesn't like heroes very much."

"I don't like him too much either just from that reaction." Emily smiled slightly when Bucky said that, this she looked over at him before she spoke.

"The feeling is mutual." Bucky looked over at her when she said that and smiled, before they could say anything else that conch horns blew. The army of Poseidon, of which were mostly Cyclops, marched into the throne room.

"Percy!" Emily recognized the Cyclopes from last year during the battle of the labyrinth, it was Percy's half brother. He charged at Percy with his arms wife open before giving Percy a hut that be as bone cracking as one from Thor would be, maybe even more. "You are not dead!"

"Yeah! Amazing, huh?"

"I am not dead either. Yay! We chained Typhon. It was fun!" There was fifty armored cyclops behind Tyson, they spoke up.

"Tyson led us. He is brave!"

"Bravest of the Cyclopes!"

"Was nothing."

"I saw you! You were incredible!"

"Yes. Um . . . three cheers for Tyson!"

"YAAARRRRR!" The Cyclopes roared.

"Please don't eat me." Emily couldn't help but feel sorry for Grover, but she wasn't sure if anyone else heard Grover other than Percy and herself. Than the conch horns blasted again and Poseidon entered the throne room.

"Tyson! Well done, my son. And Percy - I even forgive you for sitting on my throne. You have saved Olympus!" Poseidon held his hand out before he hugged Percy's than Poseidon pulled away from the hug.

"Dad - "

"Shhh. No hero is above fear, Percy. And you have risen above every hero. Not even Hercules - "

"POSEIDON!" Emily and Lauren jerked when Zeus roared, all the other gods, but Poseidon, were in their seats, even her adopted father was present and was sitting in a simple chair. The guest chair was at the foot of the hearth, Nico and Arabella were sitting cross legged on the ground at their father's feet. "Well, Poseidon? Are you too proud to join us in council, my brother?" Emily smiled when Poseidon looked at Percy before he winked.

"I would be honored, Lord Zeus." Zeus started talking a out the bravery of the gods, as Zeus spoke that Emily, Bucky, Steve, Lauren and Thor were keeping each other entertained. They were making mostly gestures and making fun of Zeus. It was like Arabella's first winter solstice, for a few times they allowed Hermes or Apollo to see what they were doing. Emily was sure a couple of times that Apollo and Hermes were in danger of laughing their heads off. She was sure that they would have if it wasn't for the recent battle as well as interpreting Zeus. As Zeus spoke that Emily noticed that Annabeth came in and sat down next to Percy and Grover. Than Zeus started talking about his brothers.

"As for my brothers, we are thankful. erm, thankful for the aid of Hades." Hades merely nodded but he has a smug look on his face. He patted both Nico and Arabella on their shoulders.

"And, of course, we must . . . um . . . thank Poseidon."

"I'm sorry, brother. What was that?" Emily and Lauren were smiling when Poseidon said that, they were trying not to laugh for they knew what their uncle was doing to Lauren's father.

"We must thank Poseidon. Without whom . . . it would've been difficult - "

"Difficult?"

"Impossible. Impossible to defeat Typhon." The gods murmured in agreement before they pounded their weapons.

"Which leaves us, only the matter of thanking our young demigod heroes, who defended Olympus so well - even if there are a few dents in my throne." Zeus called Thalia first when she stood in front of him that he spoke. "Thalia, my daughter, you have prove yourself as my daughter and a loyal hunter. I promise to help you with filling the ranks of the hunters." Thalia nodded when Zeus said that.

"You have done well, my lieutenant. You have made me proud, and all those Hunters who perished in my service will never be forgotten. They will achieve Elysium, I am sure." The last part she glared pointedly at Hades.

He shrugged. "Probably." Emily thought if saying something but decided against it though. Artemis was still glaring at him.

"Okay, I'll streamline their application process." Thalia was beaming with pride.

"Thank you, my lady." She bowed to the god, even Hades, before she limped over to stand by Artemis's side.

"Tyson, son of Poseidon!" Tyson looked nervous but he went to stand in the middle of the council.

"Doesn't miss many meals, does he? Tyson, for your bravery in the war, and for leading the Cyclopes, you are appointed a general in the armies of Olympus. You shall henceforth lead your brethren into war whenever required by the gods. And you shall have a new . . . um . . . what kind of weapon would you like? A sword? An axe?"

"Stick!" Emily did her best not to laugh when Tyson called his club a sick and held his club for Zeus to see.

"Very well, We will grant you a new, er, stick. The best stick that may be found."

"Hooray!" All of the Cyclopes cheered before pounded Tyson on his back as he rejoined them.

"Grover Underwood of the satyrs!" Grover went forward when Dionysus called him forward. "Oh, stop chewing your shirt. Honestly, I'm not going to blast you. For your bravery and sacrifice, blah, blah, blah, and since we have an unfortunate vacancy, the gods have seen fit to name you a member of the Council of Cloven Elders." Grover collapsed on the spot when Dionysus said that, however it was Thor's look that made her close of laughing and he whispered.

"Why did he faint?"

"I think he had too much shock already and that was the final straw." Thor seemed fine with that answer. Several naiads went forward to help Grover.

"Oh, wonderful. Well, when he wakes up, someone tell him that he will no longer be an outcast, and that all satyrs, naiads, and other spirits of nature will henceforth treat him as a lord of the Wild, with all rights, privileges, and honors, blah, blah, blah. Now please, drag him off before he wakes up and starts groveling."

"FOOOOOD." The naiads took Grover away as he said that.

"Annabeth Chase, my own daughter." Annabeth walked forward and knelt at her mother's feet.

"You, my daughter, have exceeded all expectations. You have used your wits, your strength, and your courage to defend this city, and our seat of power. It has come to our attention that Olympus is . . . well, trashed. The Titan lord did much damage that will have to be repaired. We could rebuild it by magic, of course, and make it just as it was. But the gods feel that the city could be improved. We will take this as an opportunity. And you, my daughter, will design these improvements." Annabeth looked surprised, Emily expected that Athena would have her daughter do something like that.

"My . . . my lady?"

"You are an architect, are you not? You have studied the techniques of Daedalus himself. Who better to redesign Olympus and make it a monument that will last for another eon?"

"You mean . . . I can design whatever I want?"

"As your heart desires. Make us a city for the ages."

"As long as you have plenty of statues of me."

"And me."

"Hey, and me! Big statues with huge wicked swords and - "

"All right! She gets the point. Rise, my daughter, official architect of Olympus." Annabeth rose in a trance before she walked back to Percy.

"Way to go."

"I'll . . . I'll have to start planning . . . Drafting paper, and, um, pencils - " Emily expected that Percy was going to be called next but that didn't happen,

"Emily Barnes and Lauren Rogers." It was her mother that spoke, Emily looked at Lauren, Lauren was just as surprised to be called on. Emily was surprised that they didn't ask the other three to join them when they were called. Emily and Lauren got up form where they were before they went to the middle of the room but didn't bow. All the gods were staring at them, it was weird to see the gods looking down at her. Her mother went on. "We would ask the others to come forward but we decided to let only you two come forward for this. Four a one the avengers are mortals and can't come up here. But we all agreed on two things, that officially from this day that the avengers, as well as the howling commandos, will be the protecters of the demigods and mortals. For as long as they live on, even if the original team is gone." Than Zeus spoke up.

"We ask that Thor comes and join them." Pe it mad Lauren watched as Thor got up and walked over to them before standing next to them. Than Zeus went on. "Up until today, we were unaware about the Norse gods were still around. I think it would be only fair if one of the avengers be an ambassador of a Asgard so that we could help make an alliance between our two worlds." Thor looked at Emily mad Lauren, they both nodded, than he looked at Zeus before he spoke.

"I will at least talk to my father about the possibility of it. It may take some time to do though." Zeus merely nodded when Thor said that than they went back by the hearth. Emily sat down next to Bucky and out her head on his shoulder.

"PERCY JACKSON!" All the talking died down, the room was silent expect for the crack long of the hearth or the mooing coming form the sphere in the throne room. Everyone was looking at Percy, he got up before walking into the middle of the throne room. This he looked at Hestia, she smiled reassuringly at Percy before he turned back to the other gods. Emily was glad to see Hestia was back to normal, for she was happy and content that the fire was back now. Percy bowed to Zeus before he knelt down at his father's fewer. "Rise, my son." Percy stood up.

"A great hero must be rewarded. Is there anyone here who would deny that my son is deserving?" Emily expected one of the gods to disagree but none of the gods argued or said anything.

"The Council agrees. Percy Jackson, you will have one gift from the gods."

"Any gift?"

"I know what you will ask. The greatest gift of all. Yes, if you want it, it shall be yours. The gods have not bestowed this gift on a mortal hero in many centuries, but, Perseus Jackson - if you wish it - you shall be made a god. Immortal. Undying. You shall serve as your father's lieutenant for all time." Emily took a sharp intake of breath, yes she was offered immortal like Percy but hers was more like the hunter's immortality. She was not really a goddess, the last time that gift was given was before she was born.

"Um . . . a god?"

"A dimwitted god, apparently. But yes. With the consensus of the entire Council, I can make you immortal. Then I will have to put up with you forever."

"Hmm. That means I can smash him to a pulp as often as I want, and he'll just keep coming back for more. I like this idea."

"I approve as well." Emily noticed that Athena was looking Annabeth, so Emily looked over at Annabeth. Annabeth was trying not to Percy's eyes when he looked at her, her face was pale and she looked like she was ready to cry, Emily looked between the tow of them, wondering what Percy would do and what he would decided. Emily thought of when she took the offer from Hades and why she accepted it, she also thought if she was in Percy's position and if it was Bucky that was in Annabeth's position. She knew she wouldn't accept the offer for she didn't was to live on while Bucky died, provided that he didn't have Apollo's blessing. This Percy looked at Zeus before he gave his answer, pretty much everyone was shocked at his answer expect for Emily.

"No." The council was silent, Emily understood the reasoning of why Percy rejected the offer, it was an tempting offer to refuse. When Emily accepted Hades's offer that she felt like she lost everything but she ginned it back because of the offer.

"No? You are . . . turning down our generous gift?"

"I'm honored and everything. Don't get me wrong. It's just . . . I've got a lot of life left to live. I'd hate to peak in my sophomore year. I do want a gift, though. Do you promise to grant my wish?"

"If it is within our power."

"It is. And it's not even difficult. But I need your promise on the River Styx."

"What? You don't trust us?"

"Someone once told me, you should always get a solemn oath." As Percy said that, that he looked over at Hades.

"Guilty."

"Very well! In the name of the Council, we swear by the River Styx to grant your reasonable request as long as it is within our power." All the gods agreed than thunder boom shaking the throne room, the deal was made.

"From now on, I want to you properly recognize the children of the gods. All the children . . . of all the gods." Emily smiled when Percy said that for she knows where he was going with this, the Olympians shifted uncomfortably.

"Percy, what exactly do you mean?"

"Kronos couldn't have risen if it hadn't been for a lot of demigods who felt abandoned by their parents. They felt angry, resentful, and unloved, and they had a good reason."

"You dare accuse - "

"No more undetermined children. I want you to promise to claim your children - all your demigod children - by the time they turn thirteen. They won't be left out in the world on their own at the mercy of monsters. I want them claimed and brought to camp so they can be trained right, and survive."

"Now, wait just a moment." But Percy didn't stop there though.

"And the minor gods, Nemesis, Hecate, Morpheus, Janus, Hebe- - they all deserve a general amnesty and a place at Camp Half-Blood. Their children shouldn't be ignored. Calypso and the other peaceful Titan-kind should be pardoned too. And Hades - "

"Are you calling me a minor god?"

"No, my lord. But your children should not be left out. They should have a cabin at camp. Nico and Arabella have proven that. Hestia and Hades should also have thrones, they had prove themselves Olympians. No unclaimed demigods will be crammed into the Hermes cabin anymore, wondering who their parents are. They'll have their own cabins, for all the gods. And no more pact of the Big Three. That didn't work anyway. You've got to stop trying to get rid of powerful demigods. We're going to train them and accept them instead. All children of the gods will be welcome and treated with respect. That is my wish."

"Is that all?"

"Percy, you ask much. You presume much."

"I hold you to your oath. All of you." Percy was getting a lot of steely looks but it was Athena who spoke up first.

"The boy is correct. We have been unwise to ignore our children. It proved a strategic weakness in this war and almost caused our destruction. Percy Jackson, I have had my doubts about you, but perhaps - perhaps I was mistaken. I move that we accept the boy's plan."

"Humph. Being told what to do by a mere child. But I suppose . . ."

"All in favor." All the gods raised their hands, Zeus zapped the floor, tow thrones appeared at both ends. One was made out of bones, the other was made out of flames, Hades and Hestia got up before going over to their new thrones. Because of that, that Nico and Arabella went over to where Emily and sat down next to her.

"Um, thanks." Percy turned around, before he could do much all that Poseidon spoke up.

"Honor guard!" At once, the Cyclopes went forward before they made two lines from the thrones to the door, an aisle for Percy to walk through. Than the Cyclopes went to attention.

"All hail, Perseus Jackson. Hero of Olympus . . . and my big brother!"

When Emily got to the lobby with Thor, Steve, Bucky and Lauren that Percy was talking to his mother and stepfather. Just as Emily and the others got off the elevator that Nico and Arabella came running in from the street, from their faces that it was clear that something was wrong, terribly wrong.

"It's Rachel, I just ran into her down on 32nd Street."

"What's she done this time?"

"It's where she's gone, I told her she would die if she tried, but she insisted. She just took Blackjack and - "

"She took my pegasus?" Than Nico said the words that Emily didn't want to hear.

"She's heading to Half-Blood Hill. She said she had to get to camp." It was clear that Percy knew what Rachel was going to do as well, only a couple of others knew what a Rachel was going to do. When they reached the shore of Camp Halfblood, with the help of sea creatures, that Argus was waiting for them.

"Is she here?" Argus nodded when Percy ask him that question.

"Is everything okay?" Argus shook his head before leading them up the trail, Emily looked at the big house before she looked at Lauren of who looked worried. Emily looked back as green light was shooting out of the windows, as they got close to the big house that she saw mist, the same mist that veils the demigod world, was swirling around the hard. Chiron was laying on a horse size stretcher by the volleyball pit, a bunch of stairs were standing around him. Rachel was standing at the bottom of the porch steps, her arms were raised like she was waiting for someone inside the house to throw her a ball.

"What's she doing? How did she get past the barriers?"

"She flew. Right past the dragon, right through the magic boundaries."

"Rachel!" Percy tried to go forward but the satyrs stopped him.

"Percy, don't, you can't interrupt."

"I thought you explained things to her!"

"I did. And I invited her here."

"You said you'd never let anyone try again! You said - "

"I know what I said, Percy. But I was wrong. Rachel had a vision about the curse of Hades. She believes it may be lifted now. She convinced me she deserves a chance."

"And if the curse isn't lifted? If Hades hasn't gotten to that yet, she'll go crazy!" Emily wasn't sure if the curse was lifted either, but she didn't like of what may happen. She remembered hen that young girl took the spirit, the one that the curse was put upon. She remembered of what happened when she took the spirit. For a ten year old she was brave to rise on he spirit so young. The mist swirled around Rachel, she shivered like she was going into shock, it was than that Thor spoke.

"What is happening?" Emily looked over at Thor, she opened her mouth but closed it again, she wasn't sure if she could say anything but Lauren spoke.

"She going to try to take the spirit of the oracle." Before Thor could say anything that Percy shouted.

"Hey! Stop!" Percy ran over to Rachel, paying no heed to the satyrs, when he got within ten feet that he an invisible wall. He bounced back before landed in the grass, Emily and Lauren ran to Percy before helping him up from the ground. As they helped Percy up that Rachel turned and opened her eyes, she looked like she was sleepwalking and when she spoke that her voice sounded far away.

"It's all is why I've come."

"You'll be destroyed!" Lauren and Emily kept heir hold Percy as entries to move forward.

"This is where I belong, Percy. I finally understand why." Percy seems that he wanted to try again, but Emily and Lauren kept their holds on his shoulder, he looked at them when he didn't move.

"Stop her."

"I want to, but it will do no good now. The process has already started, either the spirit takes, she will become like May Castellan, or she will die." It seems that Percy didn't want to head that. Than the house rumbled, the door to the big house flew open and green mist and light poured out from the house. Emily recognized the warm must smell of snakes, the mist curled into a hundred smoky serpents. The green misty snakes were slithering up the porch columns and were curling around the house, than the oracle appeared in the doorway if the house. Emily could hear Bucky, Steve, and Thor gasp when they saw the state of the oracle was in at the moment, it seems that the oracle was in worse shape than the last time she saw the oracle. The withered mummy shuffled forward in her rainbow dress, her hair was falling out in clumps, her leathery skin was cracking like seats of a worn out bus. Her glassy eyes were staring blankly into space, Emily was getting the feeling that the oracle was being drawn towards Rachel. Rachel didn't look scared at all, instead she held out her arms towards the mummy before she spoke.

"You've waited too long. But I'm here now." The sun blazed more brightly, a man appeared above the porch floating in the air. A blond guy in a white toga that was wearing sunglasses and a cocky smile.

"Apollo." Apollo winked at Percy but held his finger to his lips before looking back at Rachel and the oracle.

"Rachel Elizabeth Dare. You have the gift of prophecy. But it is also a curse. Are you sure you want this?"

"It's my destiny."

"Do you accept the risks?"

"I do."

"Then proceed." Rachel closed her eyes before she spoke.

"I accept this role. I pledge myself to Apollo, God of Oracles. I open my eyes to the future and embrace the past. I accept the spirit of Delphi, Voice of the Gods, Speaker of Riddles, Seer of Fate." As Rachel spoke that the mist thickened, a green column of smoke, like a huge python, uncoiled from the mummy's mouth. The python slithered down the stairs before it started to curl affectionately around Rachel's feet. Hope flared inside Emily as the python did that, if the curse wasn't lifted than the python would never leave the mummy. The oracle's mummy crumbled and fell away till the mummy was nothing but a pile of dust in an old tie dyed dress. The mist enveloped Rachel in a column, for a moment no one could see Rachel at all. When the smoke cleared that Rachel collapsed and was curled into the fetal postion. Emily could see the life sure was close of fading, Annabeth, Nico and Percy ran forward but Apollo spoke.

"Stop! This is the most delicate part."

"What's going on? What do you mean?" Apollo studied Rachel with concern.

"Either the spirit takes hold, or it doesn't."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Five syllables. That would be real bad." Percy ran forward despite Apollo's warning, the smell of attic was gone as well as the green mist. As the green mist went into the ground that Rachel's life aura was coming back, Emily ran forward before she knelt down next to Rachel. As Emily knelt down that Rachel opened her eyes, she was having difficulty focusing her eyes.

"Percy."

"Are you okay?" Rachel tried to sit up.

"Ow." Rachel pressed her hands to her temples.

"Rachel, your life aura almost faded completely. I could see you dying."

"He's right, Rachel, I was worried till I saw it come back."

"I'm all right. Please, help me up. The visions - they're a little disorienting." Emily and Percy helped Rachel to her feet.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Apollo drifted down from the porch.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the new Oracle of Delphi."

"You're kidding." Rachel managed a weak smile.

"It's a little surprising to me too, but this is my fate. I saw it when I was in New York. I know why I was born with true sight. I was meant to become the Oracle."

"You mean you can tell the future now?"

"Not all the time. But there are visions, images, words in my mind. When someone asks me a question, I . . . Oh no - "

"It's starting." Rachel doubled over like someone punched her in the stomach, than she stood up straight. Her eyes were glowing serpent green, when she spoke that her voice tripled like three Rachel's were talking at once.

"Eight half-bloods shall answer the call.

To storm or fire, the world must fall.

An oath to keep with a final breath.

And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death."

When Rachel collapsed that Emily and Percy caught we her before helping her to the porch, Emily expected that for she remembered the last two oracles did that as well. For ten years it was oracle till another mortal came along saying she has the gift of Prophecy and the spirit went to her. It was that girl that was cursed by her adopted father, Emily looked at the pile of dust, she did felt sorry for that oracle and what happened to her. Emily stepped away from where Rachel was, when she did that she felt a pair of arms wrapped themselves from behind her.

"I'm all right." Her eyes returned to what it was before.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"I believe, that we just heard the next Great Prophecy."

"What does it mean?"

"I don't even remember what I said."

"No. The spirit will only speak through you occasionally. The rest of the time, our Rachel will be much as she's always been. There's no point in grilling her, even if she has just issued the next big prediction for the future of the world."

"What? But - "

"Percy, I wouldn't worry too much. The last Great Prophecy about you took almost seventy years to complete. This one may not even happen in your lifetime."

"Maybe, but it didn't sound so good."

"No, It certainly didn't. She's going to make a wonderful Oracle!" As Percy and Rachel spoke to each other that Bucky spoke to her.

"How long was that oracle like that?"

"About as long as Steve was in ocean but just by a couple of years. She become like that in World War II and been that way ever since. I only saw that happen once more and that was when the last oracle had come forward to take the spirit." Before Bucky could say anything that Apollo spoke up.

"But right now you need sleep. Chiron, I don't think the attic is the proper place for our new Oracle, do you?"

"No, indeed. Rachel may use a guest room in the Big House for now, until we give the matter more thought."

"I'm thinking a cave in the hills. With torches and a big purple curtain over the entrance . . . really mysterious. But inside, a totally decked-out pad with a game room and one of those home theater systems." Chiron cleared his throat, "What?" Than Rachel kissed Percy on his cheek.

"Good-bye, Percy. And I don't have to see the future to tell you what to do now, do I?"

"No."

"Good." Rachel turned before followed Apollo into the big house. Everyone else, that was gathered around the big house went into camp to get ready for the rest of the day and the burials that they would have to do. Steve and Lauren came up besides Emily and Bucky. All of them were looking at the lake in camp Halfblood. Emily sighed, she knew that there was a chance that once this last great prophecy was fulfilled that there was going to be another great prophecy. As she leaned into Bucky that Steve spoke.

"What now?"

"Go back to the avenger tower of course."


End file.
